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Peers agree a protection of workers amendment – Usdaw welcomes this step in the right direction, the union’s campaign continues

Date: 16 December 2021 Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw has welcomed Peers passing a new protection of workers amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in the House of Lords last night. The Government proposed the amendment after years of opposition to Usdaw’s campaign for a new law to protect shopworkers.
The amendment places in statute the aggravating factor applied by the courts in cases of assault where an offence is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. The Government says it will reinforce in statute the seriousness with which the courts should treat these offences and send a very strong signal to the public that assaults of this kind are totally unacceptable. The new measure will be reviewed in twelve months.
 
Paddy Lillis - Usdaw General Secretary says: “This is welcome news and we thank Peers for supporting Usdaw members working in retail, who have for too long been in the firing line of appalling behaviour from a significant minority of customers. After years of campaigning we are pleased to have secured movement from the Government and that they have finally accepted the need to legislate to protect shopworkers from violence.
 
“We will be monitoring closely the effect of this new law on the daily lives of our members and welcome the commitment to a review in twelve months. It is important that the Government now engages in a high profile campaign to ensure that the criminals who assault shopworkers clearly understand there is a stiffer sentence awaiting them when the case gets to court. We are ready to support and assist that publicity campaign, working alongside retail employers.
 
“Nine in ten shopworkers have faced abuse in the last year, with far too many also suffering threats and violence. A protection of workers law is long overdue, this measure could be a step in the right direction, but we still think the Government could have gone further. We will continue to campaign for Scottish protection of workers law to be applied across the UK.”
 
Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union with over 380,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades.
 
Amendment 84 to the Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill – Lords Hansard 15 December 2021: https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2021-12-15/debates/28547EAD-5F85-4D84-AC8E-1A19CC359B20/PoliceCrimeSentencingAndCourtsBill#contribution-8416AF16-070D-409D-B0EC-0C373BC7A3F3
 
Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Act 2021: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2021/6
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion

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