One in 25 shop workers were assaulted at work over the last 12 months, according to a trade union’s annual violence survey. Usdaw released the results ahead of a debate in the House of Lords on a protection of workers amendment.
According to the Usdaw survey, almost one in ten shop workers have experienced at least one assault during their career. The House of Lords debated an amendment to the Government’s Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill that would have created a specific offence of assaulting workers serving the public. However the amendment by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock was lost by 195 to 137 votes, a Government majority of 58.
John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary said: “It is shocking to hear that so many workers going about their duties of serving customers in shops are subjected to physical violence. It cannot be acceptable for this to continue and we are looking to Parliament to pass legislation that will provide greater protection for our members working in retail and all workers who serve the public. Every day across the UK more than 300 shop workers are being violently assaulted; simply for doing their job. Those shop workers deserve to see justice done and to know that the law will punish their assailant.
“There is a real need to address the scourge of workers being assaulted. I am concerned that assailants are getting away with relatively lenient sentences. We want a change in the law to ensure that proper punishments are given out and to give a clear message that assaulting workers who are serving the public is totally unacceptable.”
Lord Foulkes of Cumnock said: “The latest figures from Usdaw on assaults against shop workers should help Peers focus on the need to provide greater protection for workers who are providing important services in our communities.
“Many workers have to enforce the laws that Parliament passes, so it is only right that Parliament provides the appropriate protections. For example shop workers and bar workers police laws related to the sale of alcohol, like preventing under-age purchases and refusing customers who have already had too much to drink.
“Workers often can’t make the same choices we do to stay safe. Most of us would not choose to be out at night surrounded by high value goods and cash, but shop workers don’t have a choice. We wouldn’t hang around in A&E on a Friday night offering to help aggressive and abusive drunks, but doctors, nurses and ancillary staff don’t have a choice. You wouldn’t drive round city centres at night carrying money and offering lifts to strangers, but bus drivers don’t have a choice.
“I want to make assaulting a worker a taboo. We have plenty of examples of the assailants of shop workers getting lenient sentences, often not even custodial. Everyone knows that assaulting a police officer is treated more seriously by the courts, and rightly so.”
