Attacks on retail workers are ‘completely horrifying’, GMB Union has said in response to a new survey.
The poll, by the Retail Trust, shows 77 per cent of shop staff have experienced intimidating behaviour in the past year and 23 per cent were physically assaulted.
A further 43 per cent said they are being abused or attacked every week, a 10 per cent rise on last year. [1]
During a recent GMB survey [2], Asda workers said they had been:
- stabbed, punched and threatened with syringes
- spat at, suffered broken bones, been hit with bottles and had death threats against them and their children.
- Delivery drivers had been chased by people in cars and been confronted by customers in the nude
- store workers have had watermelons and joints of gammon thrown at them
Nadine Houghton, GMB National Officer, said:
"GMB members in retail have been stabbed, punched and threatened with syringes while trying to do their job.
“It's completely horrifying – no one should have suffer this kind of abuse and violence at work.
“Retail employers need to ensure they have adequate staff and security to prevent this happening - and rock-solid procedures in place to support staff when it does."
