Shopworkers under attack

An average shopworker's week includes verbal abuse, threats of violence and physical attacks, a survey by USDAW shopworkers' union has revealed.

In one week in June, a sample of 660 workers reported 887 incidents of verbal abuse (including being spat at and sworn at) and 224 threats to kill, stab and punch or burn shops down. There were 107 cases of violence (including slapping and kicking), 48 incidents of sexual harassment and 32 incidents of racist abuse.

The findings were published during "Respect for Shopworkers" Week in July.