Mandate Meeting with Senator Mary Fitzpatrick Regarding Bill to Protect Retail Workers

Tuesday 5 August 2025

Mandate welcomes the introduction of a Bill entitled Protection of Retail Workers Act 2025 by Senator Mary Fitzpatrick, aimed at amending the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 to create specific offences for assaulting, threatening, harassing, or abusing retail workers while they are carrying out their employment.

At a recent meeting between Mandate representatives and the Senator, Fitzpatrick indicated that she was determined to see the passage of the Bill through to a successful outcome. Mandate indicated that the Union are prepared to support her in this objective, as it has been part of their long standing Respect Retail Workers campaign to categorise abuse and assaults against retail workers as a standalone offence.

When Mandate surveyed their members previously, 78 percent said they did not believe their employer was doing enough to protect them. Senator Fitzpatrick stressed that stronger legal protections are just one part of the response needed. Greater Garda visibility in retail areas, stronger employer supports, and a cultural shift to recognise and respect the vital role retail workers play in our communities is also needed, according to Fitzpatrick.

Mandate members regularly tell the Union that many retailers underinvest in security which puts the responsibility on shop workers to police the store. Often this is expected from female workers with no training leading to confrontations which the shop worker is ill-equipped to handle.

Furthermore, shop workers have previously called on employers to provide mental health supports for workers who have experienced abuse or assaults and nine times out of ten this has been refused.

One Mandate member who wished to remain anonymous said:

“Depending on how it is affecting the employee, employers should provide medical and counselling services and also have a ‘right to refuse’ sign displayed letting customers know the policy.”

Another Mandate member explained how the “customer is always right” policy has a negative impact in the workplace:

“We should be allowed to answer back reasonably to customers without being afraid of being hauled to the office if we get a complaint.”

Solutions identified by Mandate members and shop workers include:

• Employers to provide training on how to handle abusive situations.
• Employers provide counselling for those who have experienced abuse.
• Employers to provide more in-store security – including extending security staff hours to include dangerous times of the day.
• Managers should not always take the customers side as a default position.
• Prominently display no tolerance to abuse signs – and implement the policy.
• Clearer basic information on refunds and sale policies so the employee is not isolated when implementing the company’s demands.

Abuse isn’t part of the job.