Usdaw asks public to respect shopworkers

By Liz Wells in Industry News 23rd September 2020

Retail trade union Usdaw has called on the shopping public to respect shopworkers and follow the necessary in-store safety measures to keep everyone safe, following yesterday’s statement by the prime minister.

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw general secretary, said: “To help keep the number of infections as low as possible, we are calling on all shoppers to follow key government advice on washing hands, covering your face and making space. We are also urging everyone to respect shop workers.”

He added: “We are urging employers to ensure staff get regular breaks where they can take the face-covering off and change it for a fresh one. We also encourage managers to be sympathetic to workers who are exempt from wearing masks. Any Usdaw member with concerns should contact their rep for advice.

Lillis launched a parliamentary petition that seeks to protect retail staff from violence, threats and abuse. The petition now has more than 62,000 signatures and can be signed at: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/328621