A week in the life of a shopworker: verbal abuse, threats and violence

An average week for a shopworker often includes high levels of verbal abuse, threats of violence and, in worst cases, physical attacks, a survey published today reveals.

Asked for the first time to record every incident over a week-long period, shop staff across the UK listed a catalogue of abusive, anti-social and violent behaviour by customers.

The incidents are recorded in a survey published today by Usdaw, the UK's biggest union for shopworkers, on the first day of the Usdaw-organised Respect for Shopworkers Day.

Over a seven-day period in June 2004, a random sample of 660 shopworkers reported:

• 887 incidents of verbal abuse (including being spat at, sworn at, insulted)

• 224 threats (including threats to kill, stab and punch, and burn shops down)

• 107 cases of violence (including slapping, kicking, attacked in street)

• 48 incidents of sexual harassment (including lewd/suggestive comments, touching)

• 32 incidents of racial abuse (including racially offensive insults and threats)

Recurrent triggers of violence, threats and verbal abuse included:

• Refusing to serve age-restricted products or requesting proof of age

• Apprehending shoplifters

• Refusing to serve alcohol to drunken customers

Usdaw General Secretary John Hannett said today: "Usdaw's survey has revealed that many shopworkers are going to work in fear of being a victim of violence, threats or abuse - and that is totally unacceptable. It is time for this hard-working sector of the workforce to be given the respect they deserve and the protection they should have as a basic workplace right." He added: "Usdaw is calling for the introduction of a compulsory proof of age scheme because, without doubt, the continued absence of such a scheme is putting shopworkers' safety at risk. Refusing to sell alcohol and cigarettes to under-age customers is a major flashpoint in stores."

Respect for Shopworkers Week (5th to 11th July) is a central part of Usdaw's Freedom From Fear campaign to promote respect for shopworkers and improve safety in retail workplaces. Events and activities are taking place across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

More information about Respect for Shopworkers Week is available online at out Freedom From Fear campaign section.

Notes to Editors:

• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth largest trade union with over 330,000 members. It is the biggest union for shopworkers.

• To arrange an interview with a national or regional spokesperson for Usdaw, contact the Media and Communications team on 0161 249 2443/44 (Out of office hours: 07919 227756/60).

• Journalists can subscribe to receive Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service.

• The retail sector employs 2.7 million people in the UK (11 per cent of the total workforce).

The Usdaw survey: Usdaw asked 660 shopworkers to report every incident of verbal abuse, threats and violence during a seven-day period in June 2004. The survey was carried out with the support of several major retail companies. Most respondents work in convenience stores.

Additional findings from the survey:

On average, a shopworker involved in the survey is verbally abused once every 3.75 days; threatened once every 15 days; a victim of violence (shoved, kicked, slapped, etc) once every 31 days; sexually harassed once every 41 days (for women); racially abused once every 14 days (for black and Asian people)

57 per cent of shopworkers involved in the survey said they are fairly or very concerned about verbal abuse; 64 per cent are fairly or very concerned about threats; 65 per cent are fairly or very concerned about violence; 40 per cent are fairly or very concerned about sexual harassment; 34 per cent are fairly or very concerned about racial abuse.

A sample of quotes from the survey:

• "Refused to sell a young fella drink and he hit me"

• "I was spat at by a youth because I refused to serve cigarettes"

• "I refused a young lad alcohol - the next day I was beaten up for it"

• "Spat and swore at me after I asked him for ID to prove his age"

• "Called me a low-life piece of sh*t when I wouldn't serve him alcohol"

• "Threatened to come back later and burn the shop down"

• "Threatened to stab me with a needle"

• "Threatened to kill me"

• "Told I would be 'cut' because I refused to serve a bottle of beer"

• "Customer said he would set me on fire when I refused to serve alcohol"

• "Shoplifter threatened to 'cut me up'"

• "Attacked in street on way to work by someone I removed and banned from store"

• "Shoplifter, when apprehended, grabbed a fork in the staff room and tried to stab me"

Additional case studies/examples from 2004

"A colleague on the checkouts told a customer that his card was not being accepted. He became very aggressive and when she handed the card back to him, he bent her fingers backwards and broke them." Supermarket checkout operator from Middlesex.

"A woman came to buy cigarettes and wanted to use two 'money-off' coupons. We were only allowed to accept one, under threat of disciplinary action. When we wouldn't accept the second one, she started shouting so we asked her to leave. As we were locking up for the night, her boyfriend rang up saying that he was going to wait outside the shop and stab us. The next night, the woman's sister came in making threats. We were afraid for our lives." Respondent to a BBC News Online story on abuse and violence in retail, May 2004.

"A gang of teenagers were causing trouble in my store (February 2004) so I told them to leave. When I closed the store later that night, the gang was waiting for me by my car. They punched and kicked me in the ribs and smashed up my car. I had to go to hospital for treatment. Sometimes the level of violence and abuse can be unbearable." Shopworker from Wakefield.

"I caught a shopper trying to use a fake card to pay and the checkout manager called the police. The woman was arrested. The next day, I was on leave... (when) the woman had sent in her boyfriend to beat me up. He beat up the floor manager and put him in hospital with broken ribs. The police did not catch him and I quit as soon as I heard about it." Respondent to a BBC News Online story on abuse and violence in retail, May 2004.

"I often get abuse and threats when I refuse to sell cigarettes to people who look under-age. In one instance, I told a young lad that I didn't think he was old enough and refused to serve him. He started getting abusive and then very aggressive. When my manager intervened, he threatened to hit him." Shopworker from Nottingham, June 2004.

"(Some customers) appear to hold a general disdain for people who work in retail and a belief that your occupation betrays some sort of lack of intelligence on your part. This is usually illustrated by whistling or yelling to get someone's attention, as if they are a dog - generally being patronising, and includes downright rudeness." Shopworker from Scotland, June 2004.

"Three young males came in and were being disruptive around our Lottery stand. I asked them to leave things alone, then one of them suddenly turned round, stood close to me and started shouting in my face. His actions were very threatening." Shopworker from London, June 2004.

For further information you can download Life on the Frontline: A report on shopworkers' experience of work-related violence and abuse from the resource library.

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© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
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