More than 60% of shopworkers have been threatened by a customer in the past year, and 90% have experienced verbal abuse at work, Usdaw’s annual survey reveals.
The poll, of nearly 3,500 retail staff, also shows that in the past 12 months 12% were assaulted and 61% said they were not confident that reporting abuse, threats and violence will make a difference.
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary, said: “It is heart-breaking to hear these testimonies from Scottish shopworkers who deserve far more respect than they receive. Our latest survey results clearly show the scale of the appalling violence, threats and abuse faced by shopworkers.”
He added: “Faced with such appallingly high levels of violence and abuse, and with shopworkers’ almost complete lack of confidence in the ability of the system to give them the protection they need, much more needs to be done. There must be better coordination to ensure that retail employers, police, and the courts work together to make stores safe places for our members to work and for customers to shop.”
