By Lucy Ashton

Dumbarton’s MSP has urged shoppers to show some Christmas spirit towards retail staff this year.

Ahead of the busy run up to the festive season, Jackie Baillie has joined forces with shopworkers’ union, Usdaw.

She has given her backing to this year’s ‘Keep Your Cool’ campaign, which reminds shoppers to respect retail staff, in the face of rising challenges for the profession.

Retail workers – who kept shops running for the public during the pandemic, as key workers – are facing growing challenges to their safety.

Jackie, Dumbarton constituency’s MSP, said: “I would urge the public to show some festive goodwill towards retail staff as the busy Christmas shopping season approaches.

“We all know how frustrating shopping can be, especially when stores and busy and queues are long.

“However, shopworkers are key workers and kept the nation’s stores running, ensuring access to essential supplies during the pandemic.

“They do a valuable job and should be able to go to work without fear of what they may face during the working day.”

Many shopworkers report being assaulted at work or suffering serious verbal abuse, amidst a rise in retail crime.

The problem has worsened as many cash-strapped police forces fail to investigate cases of retail theft and abuse.

Usdaw’s General Secretary, Paddy Lillis, added: “When stores are busy, customers can get frustrated with queues and stock quickly disappearing off the shelves; too often that can turn into anger towards retail workers.

“Incidents of violence, threats and abuse against retail staff are already worryingly high.

“Interim figures from this year’s Usdaw survey reveal that one in seven of our members working in retail suffered abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence.

“My message to shoppers is clear. Enjoy your bargain hunting, keep your cool and respect retail workers.”

• Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK’s fifth biggest trade union with around 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 http://www.usdaw.org.uk
• Interim results of Usdaw’s 2024 survey, based on 4,073 responses, show that: 69% were verbally abused, 45% were threatened. 17% of retail workers had been assaulted. Of those who were abused, threatened or assaulted, 70% said that shoplifting was the trigger, with two-thirds of them related to a drug and/or alcohol addiction. The final results of the survey will be published in March 2025.
• Usdaw’s Freedom From Fear Campaign seeks to prevent violence, threats and abuse against workers by engaging the public, retail workers and the Government. http://www.usdaw.org.uk/Campaigns/Freedom-From-Fear