Corby MP election candidate Lee Barron backing ‘Freedom From Fear’ campaign which works to prevent abuse against shop workers

Corby’s Labour parliamentary candidate Lee Barron has backed the ‘Freedom From Fear’ campaign which works to prevent violence, threats and abuse against shop workers.

He visited a Co-op store in Oundle and the Tesco Extra store in Corby to show his backing for the campaign, which is run by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW).

From 2007 to 2022 USDAW surveyed between 1,500 and 8,000 shop workers each year to gather first-hand accounts on the extent of violence, threats and abuse against shop staff.

Results of the 2022 survey show that three-quarters experienced verbal abuse, half were threatened by a customer and eight per cent were assaulted.

Nearly a third are considering changing their job and over four-in-ten feel anxious about work, all because of high levels of abuse, threats and violence.

Lee said: “It was great to go along to Oundle Co-op and Tesco in Corby today to give my support to shop workers. I was told there had been a doubling of assaults on staff whilst at work.

“As a magistrate for 20 years I fully support the campaign for it to be a law to have a specific offence of assault on retail workers and to increase the sentence. Nobody should go to work and face assault.”

USDAW activist and North Northamptonshire councillor Mark Pengelly (Lab) said: “We welcome Lee coming and supporting this campaign.

“Lee spent time speaking to union reps and staff and listening to stories about the abuse they have had to put up with. Lee said he was pleased with how local managers with USDAW are supporting staff and how it is a minority that spoil it for the majority of shoppers who we welcome into the stores everyday.”

USDAW area organiser Stevie Cassidy said: “We welcome Lee’s contribution to highlighting this campaign. USDAW reps have been out all over the UK campaigning to get this matter into legislation.”

To read more about the Freedom From Fear campaign and to see the full results of the survey, visit the USDAW website.