Edinburgh MSP's bill will protect shopworkers as assaults and abuse rise by 36 per cent during lockdown

MSPs are today expected to pass a bill proposed by Edinburgh Southern Labour MSP Daniel Johnson to protect shopworkers from assault and abuse, as the Co-op reported a 36 per cent increase in such behaviour during lockdown.

Edinburgh South MSP Daniel Johnson proposed the bill

The Protection of Workers Bill, which is due to complete its passage through the Scottish Parliament this afternoon, will create a new offence of assaulting, threatening, abusing, obstructing or hindering a retail worker who is doing their job.

And if committed because the worker is applying an age-restriction, by asking for proof of age, it will count as aggravation potentially making the offence more serious, which could mean a harsher sentence.

A survey last year found over 400 retail workers face violence and abuse on a daily basis, with incidents often the result of staff challenging shoplifters or trying to implement coronavirus safety measures.

The Co-op said a it had seen a 36 per cent increase in incidents of anti-social behaviour, verbal abuse and physical assaults during lockdown (January – October 2020) compared to the same period in 2019, with one in four frontline workers subjected to violence, abuse or anti-social behaviour.

Derek Furnival, the Co-op’s managing director for Scotland, has written to MSPs urging them to support the bill.

He said: “Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our colleagues who work tirelessly within communities to provide essential food and groceries – and never more so than over the past ten months. We strongly supports Mr Johnson’s proposed bill and believe that any law would make Co-op colleagues in Scotland feel safer and more protected as they go about their daily working lives.”The bill has the support of all the political parties as well as the Usdaw and GMB unions and retail groups including the Scottish Grocers Federation and the Scottish Retail Consortium.

Mr Johnson said: “I’m excited to debate my bill in the chamber this week and look forward to a positive response from MSPs across the political spectrum.

“This pandemic has seen retail workers on the front line; performing critical roles, supplying the basic essentials to all of us and keeping us safe as we do so. With us now living under another national lockdown, it’s more important than ever that our essential retail workers are properly protected and supported.”

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