We need your help to raise public awareness that this is unacceptable behaviour, and give workers the confidence to speak out, report abuse and not accept it as part of the job.
Respect for Shopworkers Week, 11-17 November 2024
Every year, Respect for Shopworkers Week forms an integral part of our campaign.
Whether it’s a stall in your workplace or canteen, or having a few simple conversations with colleagues, we encourage you to engage with staff and customers in your store during the week.
Get involved
It doesn't take a lot to get involved during Respect for Shopworkers Week - you can do as little or as much as you're able.
Campaign event – Run a campaign event in your store. Find out more and order your materials.
Survey – It’s important to get as many workers as possible to fill out our survey so we can shine a light on their experiences. This will allow us to show how workers can be supported and abuse stopped.
Noticeboard – Theme your workplace noticeboard with Freedom From Fear materials.
Social – Share our message on X, Facebook, Bluesky and Instagram
Pledge your support.
Join – Ask any non-members who engage with the campaign to Join Usdaw.
Share your story - If you've experienced abuse or violence in your workplace, help us raise awareness by sharing your story. Contact the magazine team at [email protected]
2023 survey results
Our 2023 survey results show that violence against shopworkers has doubled since last year, with 18% saying they'd been assaulted.
Of those surveyed, 70% experienced verbal abuse and 46% were threatened by a customer. The results also show that amongst non-white workers, racial harassment was at 54%, and 41% of all women suffered sexism.
Violence and abuse was regularly triggered when abusers were caught shoplifting, often due to the cost of living crisis.
Additional resources
- Late-Night Working - Preventing Violence to Staff (Leaflet 294)
- Preventing under-aged sales (Leaflet 351)
- While you're looking after the shop, who's looking after you? (Leaflet 362)
- Retail Workers - Abuse is not part of the job (Leaflet 429)
- Delivery Drivers - Abuse is not Part of the Job (Leaflet 430)
- Freedom From Fear - Delivering for Usdaw Members (Leaflet 453)
- Tips for a safer workplace
- What Reps say about Respect Week
What we've achieved so far
Our campaign has made huge strides over the last three years. In August 2021, as a result of our campaigning, a new ground-breaking law to protect shopworkers from violence, threats and abuse was introduced in Scotland. Legal protections have also been delivered for retail workers in England and Wales.
In April 2024, the Government announced that there would be a new law making assaulting a retail worker a standalone criminal offence. There is still someway to go though, with the Conservatives' pledges not going far enough.
Retail workers continue to be impacted by abuse, threats and violence and therefore the campaign must continue. The Union is engaging with employers, politicians, the police and the justice system to ensure shopworkers have the protection they deserve.
Read our response to the 2019 Home Office call for evidence.
What needs to happen next
We support Labour’s community policing guarantee, which would include new powers to ban repeat offenders from town centres.
We would support removing the £200 threshold on dealing with shoplifting as a summary offence to drive up more prosecutions and demonstrate that shoplifting is being taken seriously.
