Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “The safety of staff and the public
is our top priority, so we are urging retailers to be aware that stores could be busier this weekend as more businesses open, so they need to ensure their existing safety measures remain in place and are enforced. We remind employers, staff and customers that social distancing remains at two-metres in stores and retailers should continue to follow their established procedures to observe that.
 
“However, safety needs customer co-operation and I am shocked that abuse of shopworkers has doubled during the Coronavirus emergency. It is a disgrace that a minority behave this way, at a time when we should be pulling together to get through this appalling pandemic. At no time should abuse be a part of the job. All workers deserve respect.”
 
Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union with over 400,000 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.
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion