While not all shopworkers suffer to this extent, some experience much higher levels of abuse, threats and violence. Usdaw’s Freedom From Fear Survey shows that during 2018:

• 63% of North East shopworkers experienced verbal abuse,
• 42% were threatened by a customer, which is above the national average,
• with 7 assaulted every day.

The Government has opened a ‘call for evidence’ on this growing issue, following pressure from Usdaw, employers like the Co-op and retailers’ representative organisations like the Association of Convenience Stores, British Retail Consortium and National Federation of Retail Newsagents. The Government is seeking the views of organisations and individuals who wish to contribute to their understanding of the problem of violence and abuse toward shop staff in England and Wales. This consultation closes at 11pm on 28 June 2019 and submissions can be made online at: www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk/s/PVAUE/
 
Usdaw is running their own survey, which will feed into the Home Office ‘call for evidence’ and can be completed at: www.usdaw.org.uk/respectsurvey
 
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Violence, threats and abuse against workers are amongst the great scourges of our society. The statistics are shocking and show that urgent action is required. On average a North East shopworker can end up on the wrong side of a verbal or physical assault every 3 weeks. Our message is clear, abuse is not a part of the job.
 
“Life on the frontline of retail can be pretty tough for many shopworkers and there is still a lot to do to help protect them. We launched our Freedom From Fear Campaign in the face of growing concerns amongst retail staff about violence, threats and abuse. The campaign works with employers to promote respect and make shops safer for staff and customers alike.
 
“So there needs to be action to help protect staff. We want the Government to provide stiffer penalties for those who assault workers; a simple stand-alone offence that is widely recognised and understood by the public, police, CPS, the judiciary and most importantly criminals.
 
“Usdaw welcomes the Government opening a ‘call for evidence’ and we encourage everyone concerned with this issue to make their voices heard by contributing to the Home Office online consultation or visiting the Usdaw website to complete our survey, which we will submit to the Government.
 
“Retail staff have a crucial role in our communities and that role must be valued and respected, they deserve the protection of the law.”
 
Nick Forbes, Leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “Everyone has the right to go to work in an environment where they feel safe and secure. Employers have a role in protecting their staff, but the Government also has a role in ensuring those who assault workers face justice.
 
“Usdaw is rightly standing up for workers across the North East and elsewhere who sometimes face shocking levels of violence and threats, and it is time the Government backed their efforts to make workplaces safer.”
 
Voices from the North East frontline: As part of Usdaw’s survey of violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers, respondents have the opportunity to feed back their experiences, here are some examples from the North East:
 
Seaburn: “Didn’t like the price of her potatoes so threw them at me.”
 
South Shields: “Stopped a shoplifter and his mate ran from behind and threatened me and then tried to assault me.”
 
Ashington: “2 intoxicated males came in store at 8am on a Saturday morning and lingered around for an hour. They were trying to take products from the shop floor and were refused sale of alcohol. They began to kick off and threatened myself and 2 other members of staff that were at work that morning. I phoned the police and they were arrested within the hour.”
 
County Durham: “Mainly youths with no ID - really sickening, verbal abuse directed at me and the company and incident where I was told to watch my back because one day he would catch up with me.”
 
County Durham: “Spat at by a child.”
 
Darlington:   “Sexual assault within the public toilets at the store.”
 
Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 420,000 members. Membership has increased by more than one-third over the last couple of decades. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
 
North East results of Usdaw’s 2018 survey, based on 279 responses, show that in 2018: 63.4% were verbally abused, 41.9% were threatened (which is above the national average), 8.1% of shopworkers had been assaulted during their career, with 2.5% assaulted during 2018.
  
For Usdaw press releases visit: www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion