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Bullying and harassmentEquality, diversity and inclusionLatest NewsHR practiceEmployee opinion surveys

Shop workers show red card to abusive customers

by Mike Berry 10 Jul 2006
by Mike Berry 10 Jul 2006

Most retail staff (95%) have been verbally abused and 500,000 suffer abuse every day, a survey by shopworkers’ union Usdaw reveals.

Its members report that serious instances of swearing, sexist comments, homophobic abuse and racist taunts are rising sharply.

The union has launched a campaign, United Against Abuse, to raise awareness of the problem.

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Teams across the UK will hand out red cards to the public, reminding shoppers that verbally abusing staff is a form of intimidation suffered by millions of retail workers every year.

“Last year verbal abuse of shop staff shot up by an alarming 35%, so our members are saying: “Enough is enough,” and they will no longer tolerate vile abuse as part of their daily working lives,” said Usdaw general secretary John Hannett.
 
“The red card is a reminder to the public that if they feel themselves losing control in a shop to take a step back, think about their actions and understand that no situation in a shop, no matter how stressful, gives you the right to verbally abuse a retail worker.”

Mike Berry

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