Monday 2 November 2009

‘FREEDOM FROM FEAR’ IN CREWE TOWN CENTRE

Labour's Parliamentary Candidate for Crewe and Nantwich, David Williams, joined with Usdaw colleagues in Crewe town centre to support the Union's Freedom From Fear campaign.

David Williams, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Crewe and Nantwich, met and talked with shoppers in Crewe town centre yesterday, 2nd November 2009.

Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) have highlighted the fact that one in every ten shop workers has been physically assaulted whilst at work. The survey also reveals that every minute of every day another six shop workers are verbally abused and a further one is threatened.

As part of a nation-wide campaign, members of USDAW set up their stall in Crewe town centre yesterday to ask shoppers to pledge to ‘keep their cool at Christmas’. David Williams has pledged his support for the campaign and joined with the USDAW members to meet and speak with local shoppers in the run-up to the hectic Christmas Shopping period.

David said, “The number of shopworkers physically or verbally abused is totally unacceptable. Shopworkers are people who are doing their job and they deserve our respect. In the hectic Christmas shopping period, they are often working under pressure and customers may get frustrated when faced with long queues or if the item they want is out of stock. Unfortunately it is often the staff in store that get it in the neck”

He added, “Another flash point for abuse is when customers buying age-restricted items are asked to prove their age. I know of shopworkers who have been hit, sworn at and threatened for refusing to serve alcohol to an under-age customer.

The campaign also calls for more police and PCSOs patrolling the street and more use of monitored CCTV to protect both customers and staff.

David commented, “Even if things do not go as smoothly as you would wish when shopping this Christmas, please show shop workers respect and keep your cool at Christmas.”

Usdaw's Freedom From Fear Campaign

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