The shop workers’ trade union Usdaw is calling on all customers to show respect for busy retail employees in the lead up to Christmas.
Local Assembly Member Lesley Griffiths is backing the ‘Keep Your Cool at Christmas’ campaign.
Around the festive season, incidents of violence and abuse against shop workers tend to increase significantly and Usdaw hopes the campaign will remind customers of their responsibilities.
Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) are urging colleagues and customers to back their campaign which ultimately aims to strengthen the law and further protect shop workers against violence and abuse.
The union is also highlighting the under-reporting of attacks, with around 1 in 6 incidents not being reported by shop workers to either management or the police.
Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths joined Usdaw activists at an event in the National Assembly and commented:
“Research by Usdaw suggests every minute of every day a shop worker is verbally abused, threatened or physically attacked.”
“These incidents tend to increase around the Christmas period so strengthening the law to provide stiffer sentences for those who assault workers would send a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.”
“Busy and bustling shops can lead to stressful situations but I would encourage people to keep cool and show respect to retail staff this Christmas.”
