I want to support Usdaw’s Freedom from Fear Campaign that seeks to prevent violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers. Violence against people who work in shops isn’t really public knowledge so organising a Respect for Shopworkers Week to highlight these important issues is an excellent idea. I understand that the threat of verbal abuse and physical attack is a year-round worry and it just isn’t acceptable. People can become very angry and take their anger out on the people working behind the counter. Many workers dread Christmas as the number of abusive incidents increases dramatically during the festive period. As the shops become busier, customers become more stressed and sometimes things can get out of hand.
It just isn’t fair for anyone in their workplace to feel such intimidation. Many shopworkers are part time and female so they can feel particularly vulnerable. If their managers do not provide proper support the situation can be even worse. Employers have a legal and moral obligation to protect their staff – the supervisor or manager must intervene and explain that harassment of staff will not be tolerated in the store and seek an apology on behalf of their staff. They should warn the customer that any repetition will not be tolerated, and may lead to their banning from the store. Managers should ask the customer to leave the store straight away and not return.
It is very hard particularly for people who work alone in small retail outlets where support may not be close at hand. Raising awareness of this issue with the public will give shop workers confidence that the majority of people using their premises will support them.
I also want to support the call for a change in the law to give shopworkers better protection from assault. A change in the law to give shop workers better protection from assault can only be beneficial. The law currently gives extra protection to emergency workers who are the victims of physical attack and the alarming increase in similar crimes against shopworkers has led for this call for the introduction of a protection of workers bill, which would give all public facing workers similar protection.
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Ruth Potter is the Labour candidate in the North Yorkshire police and crime commissioner election