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City MP backs USDAW’s ‘Respect for Shopworkers Week’

By 20 November 2020No Comments

Stephen Morgan MP has backed USDAW’s campaign ‘Respect for Shopworkers Week’ and called for greater protections for shop and retail workers following a visit to a Portsmouth Co-op today.

This comes as violence, threats and abuse against retail workers doubled during the height of the Covid-19 crisis earlier this year.

The shop and retail workers union will not be running the campaign in its usual way this year, but has called for shop and retail workers to share their real-life experiences during this period via a survey.

The Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South, said:

“Shop and retail workers both here in Portsmouth and across the country have been the backbone of local communities during this pandemic.

During this crisis our key workers have been there to support us when we needed it most and it is only right we now do the same for them.

That’s why I am proud to support USDAW’s ‘Respect for Shopworkers Week’ to give shop and retail workers the protections they need during this crisis and beyond”.

During his visit, Co-op employees demonstrated the new body-cameras that the supermarket’s shop workers are now wearing to protect both its customers and employees.

In recent months, some supermarkets and have faced challenges, both in shoplifting and some customers not following government Covid-19 guidelines.

Mr Morgan, added:

“Any further support for our key workers that have helped to feed the nation through this difficult period I of course welcome.

This new measure will no doubt help to protect Co-op shops, its customers and crucially its workers from future challenges and I am glad to see its introduction here in Portsmouth.”

USDAW has also set up a petition that has called on the government to legislate to make it specific offence of abusing, threatening or assaulting a retail worker.