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Freedom From Fear visits Downing Street
09 July 2003
Premier retail union Usdaw took its Freedom From Fear campaign to 10 Downing Street today when it delivered its national petition with more than 100,000 signatures calling for greater protection for shopworkers against assaults and abuse.
Usdaw Deputy General Secretary John Hannett, together with four retail workers who have direct experience of violence and abuse, presented the petition at lunchtime today.
Figures recently released by employers' group the British Retail Consortium, as part of its annual Retail Crime Survey, showed that in 2002 shopworkers were on the receiving end of 16,200 physical assaults, 48,600 threats of attack and 70,000 incidents of verbal abuse.
Usdaw Deputy General Secretary, John Hannett said: "These appalling figures are only the recorded figures and we know many more incidents go unrecorded. Our members are telling us loud and clear - enough is enough. The petition is just one step in our ongoing campaign to get employers, the Government and the police to take retail crime much more seriously.
"The BRC's statistics underline what we have been saying for some time - violence and abuse against shopworkers has reached intolerable levels. We must get a grip on this situation because shopworkers deserve to feel safe in their workplaces.
"Today, we are launching a Charter for Shopworkers, which many of the big retailers have already signed up to, and this will help to deliver the protection, dignity and respect retail staff deserve.
John Hannett will also meet with representatives of the British Retail Consortium this evening (at approx 6pm) at the Atrium, Millbank, to promote the union's Charter of Respect for Shopworkers. He will also meet with MPs to lobby support for a new Early Day Motion about Respect for Shopworkers.
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