Calls in South Tyneside for new laws to tackle violence and abuse against shop workers

At a meeting of South Tyneside Council on November 25, a motion was launched looking at the rise in abuse against frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Shop workers union USDAW revealed large numbers of workers in the North East had experienced verbal abuse, threats and even assaults.

Although Scotland has passed a bill which has created a new specific criminal offence for such actions, proposals for a similar bill in England have not progressed to the final stage.

The motion brought by South Tyneside Labour councillors this week asked the council leader to write to the government urging ministers to progress the bill and also to enlist the support of South Tyneside’s two MPs.

In addition, it asked councillors to sign up to the #Shopkind campaign launched by The Minister for Crime and Policing and to promote it on social media.

Labour councillor Anne Hetherington, cabinet member for independence and wellbeing, launched the motion at full council at South Shields Town Hall.

“During this pandemic, shop workers were classified as frontline workers who kept food on the table for us all and we all came out on Thursday nights to clap for them,” she said.

“They were the enforcers of the law on mask wearing and social distancing with no real support.

“On many occasions, and I know this from my family members as my niece works in a local supermarket, have been threatened and sworn at simply for asking a customer to politely respect social distancing.

“Others have also been verbally abused, sworn at and threatened with physical violence which is totally unacceptable.”

Councillor Sue Stonehouse, Green Party member, said the council “owed a lot of thanks to our frontline staff” and would be “letting them down if we ignore customer antisocial behaviour.”

During debate however, some concerns were raised about the motion failing to directly address the impact of antisocial behaviour on communities across South Tyneside.

Councillor Glenn Thompson, leader of the South Tyneside Independents Group, said councillors were “skirting around the responsibilities we have as a council to address [antisocial behaviour] directly.”

Reference was also made to a motion proposed at October’s full council meeting about antisocial behaviour, which failed to win support from the council’s Labour Group at the time.

Cllr Hetherington, closing the debate, said the frontline workers motion was written in cooperation with the union USDAW and added it “would be disingenuous of us to dilute any of the messages.”

After being put to the vote, the motion won unanimous support.

The motion ‘Frontline Workers in full reads:

During this pandemic shop workers were classified as “frontlineworkers” who kept food on the table for us all.

Fact and figures obtained from USDAW the shop workers unionreveal that in the North East alone;

:: 92% have experienced verbal abuse.

:: 70% were threatened by a customer.:: 14% were assaulted.:: One in five victims have never reported an incident to theiremployer, including 5% of those who had been assaulted.

Yvette Cooper, Chair of the Home Affairs Committee said, “Otherpublic workers have rightly been afforded extra protection by thelaw in recognition of the public service they provide and theincreased risk they face.”

Her report found that the workers responsibilities for enforcingCoronavirus laws, age limited sales, and restricted goods acted asa “Key trigger for violence and abuse.” and that had not been metwith adequate protections.

We’ve heard anecdotal reports of workers having products thrownat them because they requested that a customer wear amask. One worker said that they were warned that the customerwould be waiting for them when their shift was over and that theywould “Sort them out.”

Scotland has just passed into law a bill which makes it a specificnew criminal offence to;

:: Assault workers,:: Threaten or abuse them,:: Obstruct or hinder them.

A Private Members Bill (Alex Norris) Assault On Retail Workers(Offences) didn’t get past its second reading.

This Council resolves to;

1. Ask the Leader to write to The Secretary of State to urge themto progress the bill.2. Ask the Leader to write to our two MPs to enlist their support.3. As Elected Members, we agree to sign up to the ” #Shopkind”campaign launched by The Minister for Crime and Policing anduse it in our social media posts to highlight our support.