New support to tackle violence against shop workers

Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon

Oldham West and Royton MP, Jim McMahon, has given his backing to the Shop Kind campaign launched by retailers across the country to combat abuse and violence towards shopworkers. 

Jim said, “400 shopworkers are abused a day in shops the length and breadth of this country and it’s not acceptable.”

“I’m proud that early on in the pandemic thanks to the work of the Co-operative Party our shopworkers were rightly classed as keyworkers.”

“Now we can’t stand by as abuse against them rises.

"Last week MPs from Greater Manchester met with the Deputy Mayor Bev Hughes, GMP, and representatives from USDAW - the shopworkers trade union, the Association of Convenience Stores, and from Tesco and the Co-op to discuss what we can do here in Greater Manchester to push back against this.”

“I’m glad we’ll continue to meet regularly and strive for the change we need, but in the meantime I’m throwing my backing behind the Shop Kind campaign to remind people to be kind whilst shopping.

"Our shopworkers are keyworkers just doing their jobs and they shouldn’t have to deal with threats, abuse, assault and violence more than anyone else should at work.”

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