Seven in 10 shopworkers subject to violence, threats and abuse, Usdaw survey finds as union begs members not to suffer in silence and agencies to step up to challenge
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Highland shopworkers subject to horrific abuse from customers have spoken out about the violence, threats and abuse they have faced simply doing their job.
Retail trade union Usdaw has published shocking interim statistics from its annual survey of over 4600 retail staff.
It shows in the last twelve months (pre-pandemic levels in brackets, from the 2019 survey) that:
- 71 per cent (67 per cent) have experienced verbal abuse.
- 48 per cent (42 per cent) were threatened by a customer.
- 5 per cent (5 per cent) were assaulted.
- 45 per cent said they were not confident that reporting abuse, threats and violence will make a difference.
- 20 per cent of those who had been assaulted did not report the incident.
The union has shared "voices from the frontline" – comments from Scottish shopworkers shared when responding to Usdaw’s survey.
“Violence and abuse is not an acceptable part of the job. Worryingly, 1 in 5 who suffered a physical assault did not report the incident and nearly half of shopworkers are not confident that reporting these issues will make any difference. Our message shopworkers is clear, ‘report it to sort it’." - Peter Lillis, Usdaw general secretary
What shopworkers in the Highlands and Islands have been subjected to by customers:
- “Have been pushed and punched.”
- “One customer threw a plastic wrapped fish at me and a few customers have shouted at me, swearing etc, because I wouldn't break company policy for them.”
- “The worst incidents happen when you're on a card only till. You advise customers that it's a card only checkout then they argue about not being able to use cash. They do it when it's busy and try to intimidate you, because queues are long, to try and upset you.”
- “Unhappy customers not wanting to queue. Lack of staff causing longer waits for customers.”
- “Things thrown at me.”
- "Threatening, told if I talk to police I'm for it. Swearing, following around shop, in my face. Ignored."
Voices from around Scotland
Central Scotland: “Customer threw a box at me, narrowly missing another customer.”
“While working self-scan, customer forcibly grabbed and wouldn’t let go of me in order to get alcohol approved.”
"Verbal abuse all the time on checkouts.”
Glasgow: “Customers hate to queue, so they are just rude all the time, the price increase doesn't help their mood.”
“Pregnant member of staff got assaulted with a solar light.”
“Shouting in your face over ID for cigs, alcohol, lottery.”
Lothian: “Was robbed at knife point behind the counter.”
“Customer getting angry because I wouldn't sell beer as he was too drunk.”
“Customers threatening staff over pricing and lack of stock. Also lack of staff.”
Mid-Scotland and Fife:
“Called an a***hole for nothing.”
“Customer poked finger into chest in a threatening manner.”
“Got told I was going to get my head panned in after work, they were going to wait for me, because I refused sale of alcohol.”
North-est Scotland:
“Shouted at for asking for age ID, 'effing b*tch'.”
“Spat on, sworn at, shouted at.”
“A man threatened to pour acid on me. Another demeaned me saying I am nothing I am just a shopworker.”
South Scotland:
“Two males found in warehouse stealing and became violent.”
“Customer spit in my face after assaulting security.”
“Hit with packs of cakes and called a fat lazy cow.”
West Scotland:
“Often threatened with getting beat up, someone tried to hit me with a bottle.”
“Shouted at about queues, items not in stock or wanting a refund on an item that has been used and no receipt.”
“Belittled by customers.”
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary, said: “It is heart-breaking to hear these testimonies from Scottish shopworkers who deserve far more respect than they receive. Our latest survey results clearly show the scale of the appalling violence, threats and abuse faced by shopworkers.
“It is shocking that over 7 in 10 of our members working in retail are suffering abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence. While some triggers have been removed, such as face masks and social distancing; the levels of abuse remain higher than before the pandemic.
“Violence and abuse is not an acceptable part of the job. Worryingly, 1 in 5 who suffered a physical assault did not report the incident and nearly half of shopworkers are not confident that reporting these issues will make any difference. Our message shopworkers is clear, ‘report it to sort it’.
“Having secured new protection of workers laws in Holyrood and Westminster, there is still much more to do. The Government must provide the co-ordination needed to ensure that retail employers, police and the courts work together to make stores safer places for our members to work.”
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union with over 360,000 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.
