Stand-alone offence needed to protect shop workers: Usdaw

Too many shop workers are assaulted and they need the protection of the law, Usdaw will tell a Scottish Parliament Committee today.

Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee is holding an evidence session today (3 March) on the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Bill.

“The statistics are shocking, showing that on average a Scottish shop worker can end up on the wrong side of a verbal or physical assault more than once every three weeks. Our message is clear, abuse is not a part of the job,” said Stewart Forrest, Scottish divisional officer of the trade union.

“There needs to be a simple stand-alone offence that is widely recognised and understood by the public, police, the judiciary and most importantly criminals. Retail staff have a crucial role in our communities and that role must be valued and respected, they deserve the protection of the law.”

Besides Usdaw, the committee will hear from Law Society of Scotland, Police Scotland, Scottish Grocers’ Federation, Scottish Retail Consortium, the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, Co-operative Group and GMB.

The Bill, introduced by Labour MSP Daniel Johnson on 10 October 2019, aims “to create an offence of assaulting, threatening, abusing, obstructing or hindering retail workers and to provide for a statutory aggravation of that offence where the retail worker is enforcing a statutory age restriction.”