Crackdown on shopworkers being abused

A new Crimestoppers Scotland campaign aimed at reducing shopworker abuse has been welcomed by retail trade union Usdaw.

The key message is to‘speak up 100 per cent anonymously about attacks on shopworkers’.

The campaign comes following the passing of the Protection of Workers (Scotland) Bill, which was successfully steered through the Scottish Parliament by Daniel Johnson MSP.

The campaign is supported by

Usdaw, the Scottish Grocers’Federation and the Scottish Government.

Usdaw’s 2020 survey of 2,729 shopworkers across the UK found that 88 per cent experienced verbal abuse, 61 per cent were threatened by a customer and nine per cent were assaulted.

Stewart Forrest, Usdaw’s Scottish divisional office, said:“Retail staff have been on the frontline throughout the coronavirus crisis, helping to keep our communities fed, despite the risks of contracting the virus.

“We owe them a debt of gratitude and abuse should never be a part of their job.

“The final results of our 2020 survey show that nine in ten shopworkers had been abused last year.

“So we very much welcomed the ground-breaking legislation to protect shopworkers from violence, threats and abuse, passed by the Scottish Parliament last month.

“Usdaw has campaigned for many years to secure these legal protections.

“Crucial to the new law having the desired impact is criminals understanding that assaulting and abusing shopworkers is totally unacceptable.

“So we welcome the opportunity to work with Crimestoppers Scotland, the Scottish Government, police and retailers to promote that message.

“Our hope is that this new legislation will result in retail staff getting the protection and respect they deserve.”