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Usdaw members appeal to their MP to vote on Monday for a new protection of workers law

Date: 30 June 2021 Retail trade union Usdaw is encouraging members and the public to ask their MP to support a protection of workers amendment to the Government’s flagship policing bill on Monday 5 July 2021.
Usdaw has set up an ‘email your MP’ facility at: www.usdaw.org.uk/PCSCbill
 
An amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill was debated in committee last week, opposed by the Government and withdrawn without a vote. Usdaw expects a similar protection of workers amendment to be debated during the report stage of the bill on Monday, so that all MPs can vote on it.
 
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Despite overwhelming evidence, the Government has continued to refuse to support a specific law to protect workers, which is backed by many retailers and the cross-party Home Affairs Select Committee. So we are pleased that MPs will have the opportunity to vote on a protection of workers amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill on Monday.
 
“Usdaw is looking for a simple stand-alone offence that is easily understood, not just by the legal profession, but by the criminals who are assaulting, threatening and terrifying shopworkers. A separate offence for assaulting a retail worker would encourage prosecutions and provide the deterrent effect that our members are desperately looking for. A clear message that violence against someone working to serve the public is not acceptable.
 
“When retail employers, leading retail bodies and the shopworkers’ trade union jointly call for legislation, it is time for the Government and MPs to listen. In Scotland, MSPs voted through a new ground-breaking law to give shopworkers the protection they deserve. We are now looking for MPs to support key workers across the retail sector and help turn around the UK Government’s opposition.”
 
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.
 
Usdaw’s 2020 survey of 2,729 shopworkers across the UK found that:
  • 88% experienced verbal abuse
  • 60% were threatened by a customer
  • 9% were assaulted
  • 79% of shopworkers say abuse was worse last year
The full report can be downloaded from: www.usdaw.org.uk/FFFReport2020
 
66 retail leaders wrote to the Prime Minister: https://brc.org.uk/media/676908/pm-ceo-crime-letter-feb-2021.pdf
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion

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The official website of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers