Scotland under Labour had a proud record of acting to protect workers from violence, threats and abuse. In fact, we were ahead of the game when we passed the Emergency Service Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 to make it an offence to assault or impede persons who provide emergency services. A year later Westminster followed suit and passed similar, although weaker, legislation for emergency service workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
However, that proud record came to a grinding halt when the Scottish National party took power. While it is prepared to acknowledge there is a problem and are happy to offer warm words, they will not act to end the scourge of violence against shopworkers. Their position was laid bare during the passage of the workers (aggravated offences) Scotland bill 2010, which was promoted in the Scottish parliament by Labour’s Hugh Henry MSP.
In April 2010 Hugh tabled a motion in the parliament, which was debated, ahead of bringing forward his bill that would create a specific additional offence for anyone who assaulted a worker serving the public. During the debate on the motion it was clear there was cross-party support for Usdaw’s Freedom from Fear campaign and condemnation of the violence faced by so many shopworkers on a daily basis.
The SNP minister spoke of the work that will take place ‘to reduce the unacceptable levels of violence and abuse towards shopworkers in Scotland’. We were delighted that the Scottish parliament had recognised the seriousness of the situation and backed Hugh motion.
The bill was submitted, which was supported by Usdaw, as well as Unite, ASLEF and Unison because it would cover workers beyond retail like transport and NHS staff. There was also support from retail employers, who have always been keen to work alongside Usdaw to make workplaces safer and help protect shopworkers from abuse. Vocal retail supporters included the Cooperative Group, Scotmid Cooperative Society, the Scottish Grocers’ Federation, Asda and Morrisons.
The responses to the bill’s public consultation were overwhelmingly in favour and a parliamentary committee acknowledged that action was urgently needed to address violence against public-facing workers.
However, at the first debate on the bill, to ask the parliament to agree the fundamental principles and allow detailed scrutiny, the SNP government turned its back on shopworkers and all public-facing workers by voting it out.
Scotland’s shopworkers were very badly let down by the SNP who had legislated to put shopworkers on the frontline of preventing under-age sales, yet blocked any further discussion about protecting those same shopworkers from the violence and abuse they face when doing their jobs.’
We needed action from the SNP government and instead all our members received were warm words and sympathy, which will do nothing to stop or deter the thugs that attack our members.
From that devastating blow, we have continued to highlight the case for better protection and that is what Respect for Shopworkers Week is all about: asking the shopping public to ‘keep their cool and respect shopworkers’.
We continue to work with Hugh and we are hopeful he will submit his bill again and allow this parliament the opportunity to vote on it. Hugh has tabled the following motion:
‘That the Parliament notes that 11 to 15 November 2013 is Respect for Shopworkers Week and recognises the opportunity that this week provides to raise awareness of the problems of violence, threats and abuse experienced by shopworkers simply for doing their job; is appalled at levels of violence experienced by workers who deal with the public, as evidenced in the 2013 survey from the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, which found that 4% of shopworkers had been physically attacked in the previous 12 months and 35% had been threatened with violence; is further appalled at the traumatising effects of these incidents for staff who have to face the continual possibility of attack or abuse throughout their working day as they are on the frontline of dealing with the public; is concerned at what it considers the paltry level of sentences meted out to offenders, often with a suspended sentence or with no custodial element; believes that staff deserve more than warm words of support, and hopes that the Scottish Government will build on previous expressions of support by bringing forward proposals that give more effective protection to workers who serve the public.’
The Labour leader of Renfrewshire council, Mark MacMillan, is leading a campaign within local government in Scotland, calling on councils to adopt policies that will help improve workers’ protection.
Parliamentarians are often passing important legislation that helps keep our communities and the public safe. However, some do not think about the people on the frontline who police these laws. Can you imagine the impact on society if age-restricted sales were not properly policed and youngsters were easily able to purchase or steal alcohol, fireworks, and more?
It is incumbent upon us to ensure we support the people who enforce our legislation. I know Labour understands that, because its 2011 manifesto committed to legislating to protect workers along the lines of Hugh’s bill; the evidence suggests that the SNP does not have that understanding. But we will continue to make the case, provide the evidence and seek to persuade it to act.
——————————————————–
Karen Whitefield is former member of the Scottish parliament for Airdrie and Shotts, 1997-2011 and is campaigns officer for Usdaw
——————————————————–