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Usdaw scoops best safety campaign award from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust

Date: 22 March 2016 Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw has won an award from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust for their Freedom from Fear campaign, recognising the union’s achievements in improving personal safety.
The Trust was founded by the parents of Suzy Lamplugh, a 25 year old estate agent who disappeared in 1986 after she went to meet an unknown client, and seeks to highlight the risks people face and offer advice, action and support to minimise those risks.
 
The National Personal Safety Awards celebrates the work being done across the UK to keep people safe from violence and aggression and recognises best practice in the field across all sectors.
 
John Hannett - Usdaw General Secretary says: “We are honoured to have received an award from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust for our Freedom From Fear campaign. All too often shopworkers encounter violence, threats and abuse for simply doing their job. Life on the frontline of retail can be pretty tough for many staff and there is still a lot to do to help protect them.
 
“We launched our Freedom From Fear Campaign in the face of an increasing number of attacks against shopworkers. The campaign works with retailers, police and customers to make workplaces safer for staff. This award belongs to the Usdaw reps, members and activists across the country who have done so much voluntary campaigning work to promote respect and improve safety.”
 
Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers)
is the UK's fourth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with 440,000 members. Membership has increased by more than 17% in the last five years and by nearly a third in the last decade. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the Union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
 
Results of Usdaw’s Freedom From Fear Survey: The survey was conducted in face-to-face interviews of 2,536 shopworkers by Usdaw reps who asked them to talk about their experiences at work over the last twelve months.
                                                                                
How often have you been a victim of verbal abuse?
1-3 times 33%, Monthly 8%, Weekly 8%, Daily 3% Total abused 52%

How often have you been threatened by a customer?
1-3 times 24%, Monthly 4%, Weekly 1.5%, Daily 0.5% Total threatened 30%

9% have been a victim of physical violence from customers, 2.13% in the last twelve months and 22.5% didn’t report it to their employer.

For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion

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