Retail staff are key workers delivering essential services, yet the Government has offered little more than sympathy in response to a petition calling for more to protect retail staff from violence, threats and abuse. So said campaigners during Respect for Shopworkers Week, last week.
The online petition was placed by Paddy Lillis, General Secretary of the retail workers’ union Usdaw. He says: “Respect for Shopworkers Week is our opportunity to publicise Usdaw’s year round Freedom From Fear campaign, which seeks to prevent violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers. I am grateful to our reps and activists who added over 10,000 signatures to the petition during the week. This is a hugely important issue for our members. With incidents of abuse doubling during the Covid-19 crisis, they are saying loud and clear that enough is enough, abuse should never be just a part of the job.
“We welcome employer support for the petition and it is clear that the public are also on board, with a Co-op [pictured] survey finding that over 80 per cent say abuse of shopworkers is unacceptable and want greater sentencing for offenders. When the shopping public, retailers and the trade union for shopworkers unite in a call for action, it should be time for the Government to sit up, listen to our concerns and deliver much needed protection for staff.
“We were deeply disappointed by the Government’s response to the petition, offering little more than sympathy, and they objected to the Alex Norris protection of shopworkers bill in the House of Commons. So we continue to campaign for the 100,000 signatures needed to trigger a parliamentary debate. Retail staff have a crucial role in our communities and that role must be valued and respected, they deserve the protection of the law.”
At an online event, led by Usdaw, Waheed Saleem, the Deputy West Midlands Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), listened to concerns. He said afterwards: ““What I cannot tolerate is those who feel that it is ok to abuse, intimidate and threaten retail workers. It is unacceptable, always will be and the event today has shown that there is still more work to do to stamp out these crimes.
“The emergency Police and Crime Plan, focusing on the police response to the coronavirus pandemic, rightly addresses the challenges that retail staff face. We have seen, especially earlier in the year, a real rise in shop workers being attacked, spat at and abused.
“Being able to listen to shop workers first-hand today has given me the opportunity to see what more we need to do to ensure that we can keep retail staff safe.”
