This ongoing and vitally important campaign came about as a result of an increase in complaints from retail workers regarding the amounts of both verbal and physical abuse from customers. Mandate conducted an extensive survey involving over 20 retail businesses and their employees

This campaign is undoubtedly Mandate’s most significant campaign in several years and has a number of objectives including raising awareness of this issue and trying to influence change from a small number of people who tend to abuse retail workers as well as securing stronger health and safety protections in the workplace for vulnerable workers in Irish retail.

Santa Teveliuct ,centre, with fellow Tesco employees, Sean Joyce and Natalie latun , right, with Catherine Mc Arthur and Dee Kelly, left, who work with Penneys, at the launch of Mandate trade union’s Respect Retail Workers Campaign.

The booklet “Voices in Retail” outlines the aims and objectives of the Respect Retail Workers Campaign in more detail and also details harrowing real life experiences of ordinary retail workers from the front line as well as providing an insight into the worrying statistical survey results and can be accessed via the link below.

If you wish to become involved in the Respect Retail Workers Campaign in your local area do not hesitate to contact your local shop steward or alternatively respect@mandate.ie