Stop violence and harassment in commerce

Pandemic leads to global rise in violence in stores

A new report from UNI Global Union shows that Covid-19 has triggered a pandemic of violence against retail workers around the world. The report, which gathers evidence from trade union studies in over 20 countries, shows that while customer violence against retail workers was far from uncommon before the pandemic, it has since soared to

Unions demand action to end customer violence in stores

UNI Global Union affiliates from around the world united for a global action day on 17 November to demand that governments and retailers take action to end violence and harassment in commerce. Since the pandemic, there has been an explosion of third-party violence by customers towards workers across the retail sector, from supermarkets to fashion stores.

UNI Commerce launches new campaign against violence and harassment in retail

UNI Commerce launches new campaign to put an end to abuse in the commerce sector 

KFSU-Chanel Korea Workers Union Fights Against Endemic Sexual Harassment

Following KFSU-Chanel Korea Workers Union’s ongoing negotiations with Chanel Korea Management on workplace safety and human resource policies during the pandemic, a shocking revelation relating to workplace sexual harassment was recently uncovered. The union had received a complaint from one worker who was forcibly transferred from the Duty-Free shops to department stores. They surveyed more

Global solidarity with shopworkers in the UK

UNI Global Union affiliates around the world have shown their support for Usdaw in the UK as it marks National Respect for Shopworkers Week from 16 to 22 November. The union has been running the event every year since 2002 as part of its Freedom from Fear campaign. However, this year Respect Week is even

UNI Commerce Redoubles Commitment to Passing ILO Convention Against Gender-Based Violence

During the UNI Commerce Global Steering Group meeting, taking place in Barcelona, participants from all over the world joined in a minute of silence for a local woman, murdered by her partner.  The killing was brought to the group’s attention by UNI affliliate CCOO, and it highlights the need to unite against gender-based violence at

UNI Commerce to launch campaign against violence at work

UNI Apro Condemns Horrific Stabbing of Supermarket Workers in New Zealand

Japan: UA ZENSEN advances to eliminate harassment from customers

Cover photo: Akihiko Matsuura, President of UA ZENSEN presiding over rally against harassment from customers On 3rd December 2020, UA ZENSEN, the Japanese Federation of Textile, Chemical, Commerce, Food and General Services Workers’ Unions, held a rally on unreasonable complaints, calling for further need for legislation and public education. The landmark event was participated by

Global food retailers sign landmark Declaration with UNI to tackle Covid-19, others should follow

Alarming Survey Results Point Out Need for Better Protection for Retail Workers

UNI urges retailers to join its Declaration on Food Retail Workers to ensure a proper response to the crisis at global level  

Australia: 1 in 5 workers were coughed on or spat at during the pandemic

In late 2020, the SDA surveyed 2,338 members and 17 employers. The key findings of the survey read as follows: · 88% of respondents had experienced verbal abuse in the previous 12 months. · Almost half of the members who experienced verbal abuse in the previous 12 months said it occurred weekly or monthly. ·

Hungary: Verbal violence, at least once a week!

The survey conducted by KASZ union of Hungary in 2021 revealed that violence and harassment fuelled by the pandemic was a weekly if not a daily experience for commerce workers. According to the survey: · 20% of respondents reported that they experienced physical violence from a customer. · 40% of workers did not report the

Japan: Unreasonable complaints and harassment skyrocketed during the pandemic

UA Zensen union has been campaigning against violence, harassment and unreasonable complaints from customers in Japan where the pandemic has worsened the situation, as the rest of the world. According to surveys* conducted by UA Zensen with the participation of workers and customers: · Workers attributed 35.9% of abusive customer behaviour to the impacts of

Finland: Half of workers were called names or threatened

A survey conducted by PAM in 2020 with the participation of 374 PAM members employed in the service sector, including commerce, found: · Half of respondents reported that they were called names or had received threats from customers in the previous year. · 1 out of 10 workers experienced physical violence or threats with sharp

Sweden: Anxiety, stress and harassment fuelled by the pandemic

According to the Statistics Sweden and the Swedish Work Environment Authority*, violence and harassment (especially in the form of sexual harassment) were alarmingly prevalent in the commerce sector even before the pandemic. · For example, while 28% of women workers in retail experienced sexual harassment by a third party in the previous 12 months, the