NSW Labor Opposition Leader Chris Minns has committed to introduce tougher penalties for customers who abuse or physically assault shop workers if elected to form government later this month.
This comes as new crime statistics show rising rates of offences in shops, whilst rates of verbal and physical assault that peaked in Covid remain unacceptably high.
Mr Minns heard from shop workers of the shocking problem of customer abuse, including on a workplace visit this week. 500 workplace delegates of the SDA, the Shop and Warehouse Workers Union in NSW, meeting in Sydney welcomed the announcement this week.
Recently NSW Parliament passed tougher penalties for assaulting a range of essential workers on the job, but not shop workers.
Barbara Nebart, Secretary of the SDA Newcastle & Northern Branch, said, “On behalf of the hard-working shop workers across NSW, the union welcomes the support of the Opposition Leader Chris Minns and his party, and their recognition of the need for greater respect for shop workers.
“This welcome announcement follows a worrying trend where research from the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association showed a staggering 85 per cent of retail workers have been abused or assaulted at work.
“Chris Minns has heard the stories of abuse and violence in and around shops that shop workers face every day in their workplace.
“We are pleased that not only has he heard these stories but he is going to act on them by extending essential worker protections at work to cover shop workers as well, with tougher penalties for customers that cross the line and become offenders when they abuse or assault the people trying to serve them.
“No one should have to cop abuse at work, and we hope tougher penalties for customers who do the wrong thing will act as a deterrent.
“This announcement recognises shop workers are essential, as often said during the pandemic, with more than words but by actions too.
“We welcome NSW Labor’s committment to expanding laws with tougher penalties that cover other essential workers to cover shop workers and give greater protections against assaults, threats and abuse.
“We have asked Premier Perrottet to support these laws without success to date. The SDA calls on all parties to support further protections for shop workers from customer abuse and violence. No one deserves a serve.”