Scottish Parliament passes shop worker protection bill

Scottish Parliament on Tuesday (19 January) voted to support the bill to protect shop workers at Stage 3, clearing the way for the bill to be submitted for Royal Assent.

The Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Bill, introduced by Daniel Johnson MSP in October 2019, proposes to create a new statutory offence of assaulting, threatening or abusing a retail worker and provide further legal protections when the worker is carrying out their statutory duties such as age restricted sales.

“I am delighted to see my bill pass all the legislative hurdles to become law and have retail workers properly protected,” Johnson said.

“For too long, violence and abuse were seen as part of the job for shop workers but having worked with the Scottish Grocers Federation and other stakeholders across the country these past years, we have all challenged that assumption and provided workers with the protection of the law they deserve.”

Johnson specifically commended the “hard work” of the SGF, adding that he looks forward to promoting this change in the law with them.

Welcoming the key moment for the bill, SGF chief executive Pete Cheema said the organisation has been a committed supporter of the bill, working with Johnson since 2016 to call for additional protections for shop workers.

“Once the Bill receives Royal Assent we will at last have key protections in place for shop workers who will benefit from a safer in-store environment and will also provide them with confidence when carrying out their work. Today’s vote represents a key step change in terms of Scotland’s approach to retail crime,” Cheema said.

The Federation of Independent Retailers (NFRN) has congratulated Johnson for getting the bill passed, and called on MPs in Westminster to support the Assaults on Retail Workers (Offences) Bill presented by Alex Norris MP.

“It is great news that retail workers in Scotland will be better protected by the law. We now urge MPs to introduce a similar law to safeguard all shop workers across the whole of the UK by backing Mr Norris’s Bill,” Stuart Reddish, NFRN national president, said.

Ferhan Ashiq, NFRN Scottish president, added: “Shop workers are at the frontline and have to deal with physical and verbal threats on a near daily basis for simply doing their jobs. The rules around the enforcing of Covid-19 regulations have strengthened the case for the need for this law more than ever.”

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has also urged MPs to accord similar protections to retail workers.

“The introduction of legislation in Scotland on the protection of retail workers sends a clear message to offenders that violent and abusive behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Now we need the police, courts and businesses to take these offences seriously and to use these enhanced penalties effectively,” commented James Lowman, ACS chief executive.

“This unanimous vote further demonstrates the urgent need for Westminster to provide the same reassurance and protection for retail workers who have been working tirelessly to serve their communities throughout the course of the Covid-19 crisis.”

Alex Norris MP’s private bill was scheduled to be debated in Parliament but is yet to have its second reading. The bill seeks to create a statutory aggravation for assaults against retail workers, which would increase the options for more serious sentences for those convicted.