The shopworkers’ Union Usdaw has launched a campaign against the police cuts with local Assembly Member Jeff Cuthbert and has branded the Tory-led Coalition’s attack on police budgets a threat to the safety of all shopworkers.
The Union has produced a leaflet and petition against the cuts and are using the annual Respect for Shopworkers Week, which takes place between 7–11 November, to urge shoppers and members of the public to back the campaign and sign Usdaw’s petition.
Usdaw reps were joined at the launch in the Senedd by Jeff Cuthbert AM.
Jeff Cuthbert AM said: “I am appalled by the fact that every minute of every day another shopworker is assaulted, threatened or abused during the course of their duties.
“The first duty of Government is to protect us all. That is where this Tory-led Coalition will fail us with their unprecedented cuts in funding that will affect frontline policing. With a predicted loss of 350 frontline police officers in the Gwent Constabulary, I am very concerned about the effect on local crime levels.
“I therefore welcome Usdaw’s excellent and necessary campaign, which I very much support. High profile policing is crucial to keeping workers, shoppers and everyone safe in our communities and that can only be achieved through proper Government support and investment.”
John Hannett, Usdaw’s General Secretary said: “Every minute of every day another shopworker is assaulted, threatened or abused. That is why one of Usdaw’s major campaigns is called Freedom From Fear. Shopworkers should be free from the fear of violence, threats and verbal abuse and it should never be accepted as just a part of the job.
“Under the Labour Government, violent incidents against shopworkers halved because Labour invested in 12,000 additional uniformed police officers. Does anyone really believe that by cutting frontline policing, crime will continue to fall – as it did with Labour? That is not the logical conclusion I draw. I fear that when these cuts bite we will be left with a much less effective police force that will be grossly under-staffed and terribly demoralised.
“Jeff is doing a first rate job opposing the police cuts and our members in Caerphilly are delighted to have his support.”
You can sign Usdaw’s petition against police cuts by visiting: www.usdaw.org.uk/FreedomFromFear
