Shoppers at Tesco in Minehead have shown their support for shopworkers by signing a petition calling for better protection against abuse. The petition was part of a campaign by the shopworkers’ union, USDAW, to highlight the problems faced by shop staff at work every day.
USDAW says 150,000 shop staff every week are abused by members of the public. In its petition it calls on MPs to ensure that shopworkers and other public facing workers receive enhanced legal protection.
USDAW organiser Joanne Shaw said:“We don’t come to work to be abused. We are asking people to remember that our members have a job to do. Most customers are polite. But the odd few can get a bit worked up when things in the shop get moved. And some people get irritable when they are asked for ID before they can buy age-restricted products.”
“Our message is – keep cool and respect shopworkers.”
Minehead Labour councilor Andy Lewis went along to support the USDAW campaign. He said:
“Shopping can be stressful, particularly in crowded stores in the run-up to Christmas. But we should all remember that shopworkers in Minehead and everywhere else have the right to respect from the customers.”