9 in 10 shop workers faced abuse amid Covid uncertainties, empty shelves: Usdaw

Nine in ten shop workers experienced verbal abuse in 2021, a trade union’s report said today (3), highlighting a shockingly high level of violence and abuse faced by retail staff amid uncertainties caused by the pandemic and the pressures on key workers in the retail industry.

According to the annual survey report of Usdaw, 90 percent of workers reported verbal abuse in the last year (up from 88 percent in 2020). 64 percent reported threats of violence (up from 60 percent in 2020) and, most disturbing of all, 12 percent reported actual physical assaults (up from 9 percent in 2020).

As per Usdaw survey results based on 3,464 responses received between July and December 2021, women were more likely to be the target of verbal abuse – 92 percent of women against 88 percent of men. Men were significantly more likely to be physically assaulted – 17 percent of men against 10 percent of women.

Covid precautions continued to be a major source of friction accounting for approximately half of the incidents. Face coverings remained a significant issue. Workers were attacked and abused “both by people who refused to wear face coverings and by others who thought that stores should be doing more to enforce the wearing of face coverings,” states the report.

Arguments over Covid precautions were a main trigger not only for verbal abuse but also led to serious physical violence.

Lack of stock and empty shelves continued to be a problem throughout the year as Covid-related absences in the supply chain and Brexit-related problems led to sporadic shortages.

Dealing with shoplifters and the need to ask for proof of age when selling age-restricted products between them account for a quarter of incidents as opposed to 15 percent in 2020. 

The report also mentions that there has been a marked improvement in levels of reporting of incidents compared to 2020. Overall 72 percent said that the incident was reported compared to 46 percent in 2020. When it comes to physical assaults 92 percent were reported compared to 80 percent in 2020.

“Violence and abuse is not an acceptable part of the job and it is truly horrific that shopworkers are having to face it on a daily basis. Although the situation is bleak, there are some early signs that our work with retail employers may be starting to make a difference,” Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary said. 

“The Protection of Workers Act came into force in Scotland in August 2021. By the end of the year nearly 300 cases were under investigation by the Scottish Police. While we still do not have similar laws for England, Wales or Northern Ireland, the Westminster Government has given its support to an amendment to their Policing Bill that would make violence against workers a statutory aggravating factor when sentencing. 

“However, 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. The Government must provide the coordination needed 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,” he said.