Local MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, Steve McCabe has signed up to support the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Shopworkers’ Protection Pledge, vowing to stand with retail staff and support legislation to better protect shopworkers from violence and abuse.
Violence and abuse of shopworkers remains a serious concern in Birmingham Selly Oak. Recognising the serious impact that such crimes has on staff, their colleagues, and their families, Steve McCabe is committed to finding ways to end this scourge on local communities.
The Birmingham MP has signed his support to:
Pledge to champion shopworkers in my constituency and:
- Recognise the serious impact that violence and abuse has on shopworkers and the local communities they serve.
- Stand with retail workers to support legislation to better protect them.
The retail industry spends over £1.2 billion per year on crime prevention, yet, every day, there are over 400 incidents of violence and abuse against retail staff. The pledge calls for tougher penalties for attacks on shopworkers through the creation of a specific criminal offence.
Steve McCabe is the Chair of the APPG for Retail Crime, who have been working to highlight the rise in retail crime for some time now. Unfortunately, there have been reports of a spike in violence against shopworkers that has coincided with the coronavirus outbreak, as staff have an additional set of rules to enforce relating to coronavirus safety.
Steve McCabe MP said:
“I am proud to sign the British Retail Consortium’s Pledge for better protection for shop workers. No one should face abuse and violence when they go to work. Shopworkers are most vulnerable when they are enforcing age restrictions and stopping shoplifting, now they are having to enforce coronavirus safety measures. When people are expected to enforce our laws, they should also be protected by them.
“We need to focus the government’s mind on policy and action to protect shopworkers that serve every community across the country.”
Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said:
“Every day, hundreds of hardworking retail staff are subjected to violence or abuse in their place of work. These incidents leave physical and emotional scars, and affect not only the victim, but also their families, colleagues, and communities. Sadly, existing law, meant to protect these workers, is not fit for purpose, and many of these heinous crimes continue to go unpunished.
“We are calling on MPs from all parties to come together and sign the Shopworkers Protection Pledge. On behalf of the three million people who work in retail; their families and their communities, there is one simple message: doing nothing is not an option.”
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