John Healey says new government will protect shopworkers

Rawmarsh and Conisbrough MP, John Healey, says the new government will protect shopworkers with tough new measures amid a ‘horrifying’ rise in violent attacks last year.

A recent survey from the Usdaw union showed nearly a fifth of retail staff suffered a violent attack last year – up from eight per cent in 2022. Nearly half also reported they had been threatened with violence.

New action is being introduced by the government to reverse the wave of violence on shopworkers, including a reversal in the rule introduced in 2014 of ‘low-value shoplifting’ to describe the theft of goods worth under £200.

The government also announced in the Budget that new money will be invested in prevention, training the police and retailers on specific retail crime tactics to stop crime before it happens. New legislation will also be brought in to make assaults against retail workers a new stand-alone offence, something John has campaigned for alongside Usdaw for the past ten years.

John Healey said: “Shopworkers across our area are facing unacceptable levels of violence and abuse and the latest figures from Usdaw are truly shocking.

“Retail workers are on the front line. They’ve seen the record high levels of shoplifting with their own eyes. They’ve faced the wave of abuse, threats, and violence.

“Workers have reported facing abuse daily. From being spat at to being threatened with knives. It must stop. We’re getting closer to the busy Christmas period and it’s vital that we show respect to those who provide an important service. Abuse should not be a part of their job.”

This week is annual Respect for Shopworkers Week which aims to highlight the issues faced by public facing workers and make it clear that abuse is not part of the job.

The annual Respect for Shopworkers Week runs from 11-17 November, with Usdaw members also raising awareness of the union’s year-round Freedom from Fear Campaign.