Thousands
of British shopworkers are living in fear of physical attacks and verbal abuse,
with almost half taking time off because of violence.
The
report by retail union Usdaw claims that staff are suffering from a variety of
stress-related problems, with 47 per cent taking time off because of abuse and
41 per cent leaving the industry altogether.
The
report says that, on average, one shopworker is being attacked every hour of
each working day.
Usdaw’s
deputy general secretary John Hannett said managers should do more to reduce
the levels of violence and abuse, while police and local authorities should
operate a zero-tolerance policy on retail attacks.
The
report highlighted the crucial role management plays because if a good manager
is in place staff feel more secure and comfortable at work. However, poor managers
that fail to deal with situations can undermine staff, making them feel even
more vulnerable.
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