I am urging the public to make Christmas merry for retail workers by being kind, considerate and respectful to the people who are working hard to ensure shelves are stocked and parcels delivered this festive period.
I am raising this as trade union Usdaw have reported over two thirds of retail staff have experienced verbal abuse in the past twelve months in their workplace.
Retail workers in the Mid Scotland and Fife region reported being followed to cars, being shouted at because customers were unhappy with self-service and customers becoming volatile when asked for ID when purchasing age restricted items.
While the festive period is supposed to be about peace and goodwill to all, I know that it can be a stressful and busy time for so many people.
This is why I think it is important to remind everyone that treating each other with patience and kindness as shops get busier makes the experience much nicer for everyone, particularly the people who are working hard to ensure shelves are stocked and parcels delivered.
I really welcome the report from Usdaw which highlights just what a problem abuse of retail workers is and it’s a timely reminder that we can all do our bit to ensure a better experience for workers and fellow shoppers alike.
So I urge everyone to do your bit and make Christmas merry for retail workers.
Commenting Paddy Lillis, Usdaw general secretary, said:
“Retail workers deserve far more respect than they receive. It is shocking that over two-thirds of our members are suffering abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence. Abuse is not a part of the job and much more needs to be done to protect retail workers. We were delighted to have won the campaign for a protection of workers law in the Scottish Parliament, but that is the beginning, not the end. We have to ensure that the legislation is central to tackle a growing wave of retail crime and Usdaw looks forward to working with employers and Police Scotland to make that happen.
“Usdaw is calling on the shopping public to ‘respect shop workers’ and ‘keep your cool’, particularly in the run-up to Christmas when the number of incidents increases as shops get busy and customers become frustrated. We very much welcome that MPs are amplifying our campaign message and supporting retail staff during the festive period and all year round. This is a hugely important issue for our members; they are saying loud and clear that enough is enough.”
