JOYCE WATSON AM has joined shopworkers to sign a giant Christmas card pledging to ‘Keep it Cool at Christmas’ to show her respect for shopworkers in the lead up to the stressful Christmas period.JOYCE WATSON AM is joining forces with USDAW, the union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers to launch a campaign to tackle the rising tide of violence, threats and abuse against shop workers across Mid and West Wales.
Joyce said: “As someone who has run small businesses across Mid and West Wales I have experienced at first hand the kind of abuse which USDAW is highlighting, so I want to put out a clear message that this is simply unacceptable.
“We all get stressed in the run up to Christmas but it is not fair on shopworkers to take your frustrations out on them. I’m asking people to ‘keep it cool’ during this Christmas shopping period and we will all have a happier time."
The campaign – called Freedom from Fear – aims to improve employers’ support for a safe working environment in their stores. According to the latest survey by USDAW, 56% of shopworkers have suffered verbal abuse from customers in the past year, with staff at convenience stores most at risk. The survey shows that violence and abuse against shopworkers is caused by people of all ages and types, not just stereotypical ‘hoodies’.
Joyce added: “I am supporting the Freedom from Fear campaign because it will help shop workers speak out to their employers about their experiences. It will encourage employers to commit to supporting local crime reduction schemes and to work with police and local councils to reduce instances of abuse to shop workers in Wales.
“I am pleased the Assembly has taken strong steps to crack down on NHS staff being abused by the public, and shopworkers deserve respect too. I want to hear shopworkers' stories, which I will take further if necessary. If any shopworkers from my constituency want to contact my office I would be happy to hear from them.”
John Hannett, General Secretary at USDAW added: “For too long shopworkers have felt they have to put up with violence, verbal abuse or threats as part of their job.
“It is not just incidents of physical assault that pose a daily threat to shopworkers. Verbal attacks can leave them feeling shaken and vulnerable for a long time after the incident. In some cases they feel they can’t return to work and even change their jobs.
“We want our message to hit home that abuse is not part of the job. Most of the big employers completely agree with our message and some have even displayed joint statements with the union reminding customers that abusive and violent behaviour will not be tolerated.”
Employers are also being encouraged to sign an updated Respect Charter, display respect signs in their shops and implement safe and effective reporting systems to capture information about incidents of abuse and ensure they are properly reviewed. USDAW are working to provide checklists for store staff and managers to check that employer’s policies are working properly in their workplace.
Richard Norman, partner at Leo Abse & Cohen, said: “We handle cases for a number of clients who have suffered abuse in the workplace. In our experience their ordeal lasts far longer than the incident in question, and often affects their confidence and trust in customers for the rest of their lives. We must also recognise the cost and disruption that it causes to businesses, and the knock-on effects for local communities and consumers.
“By joining forces with USDAW and Joyce Watson AM we hope to raise the profile of the issue in Wales and place pressure on employers, Government and police to tackle the issue.”
To contact Joyce Watson AM call 029 20898614, email joyce.watson@wales.gov.uk or see www.joycewatson.co.uk
For more information on the campaign, visit www.usdaw.org.uk
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