Regular readers – many of whom are supporters of our Service with Respect campaign – will know that we have been making the case for a long time for action to tackle unacceptable violence, abuse and threats faced by some customer-facing workers across the UK.
The shocking scenes witnessed recently in an M&S store, and more widely on Clapham High Street, have once again thrust this issue into the spotlight. Events like these rightly shock the public and focus the attention of the media, but they represent only a fraction of what many frontline workers can face day in, day out – whether they work in retail, hospitality, transport, banking, housing or utilities. This demands an urgent and robust response.
The Government has acknowledged that more needs to be done to address the abuse of retail workers, and that is welcome. However, the proposed reforms in the Crime and Policing Bill could risk creating a two-tier system in which workers side by side on the same high street receive different levels of legal protection depending on whether they happen to be standing in a retail premise or not.
As the Daily Express highlighted over the Easter weekend, this is a growing crisis – and one that demands a wider and more comprehensive response than is currently on the table.
The case for all-sector protection
Last month, Baroness Stowell of Beeston brought an amendment to the House of Lords that would have extended protections to all public-facing workers. You can watch the full debate here. It was defeated by just three votes, with 129 peers voting in favour and 132 voting against.
The campaign continues
I know many of you share my desire to ensure all public-facing staff can go to work without fear, and we will not stop fighting on your behalf and for your colleagues. We are determined to strengthen reporting mechanisms and secure meaningful protections for all public-facing workers.
To do that, we need your support. We want to hear the views of our members and the experiences of your people, so please do share your stories with us.
I would also remind us that the third pillar underpinning our mission to build a Service Nation is all about driving service for a fairer society – we know that creating a service-led culture enables us to support customers, colleagues and supply chains across all their varying and often complex needs. As the world’s second-largest exporter of services, this will help us achieve the growth we need as a nation.
Collectively, the service movement can drive real and effective change for the UK – and we all have a role in making this a reality.
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