In the lead up to Christmas, the Retail Employee Safety Council (RESC) has gathered to focus on strategies to address intensifying abuse, assaults and harassment in the retail sector.
In its second meeting, worker and employer representatives noted prevention tactics used throughout November to deter retail crime offenders, including continuing the industry ‘No One Deserves a Serve’ campaign, training and data collection and reporting to strengthen insights that will help improve employee safety.
The RESC also celebrated significant legislative reforms, including up to seven-year prison terms for those who abuse retail workers in Western Australia, and in South Australia a commitment to implement Workplace Protection Order legislation where businesses can make an application to the Magistrates Courts for high harm offenders to be prohibited from entering a retail outlet.
The RESC notes the urgency for action in states where legislation does not provide appropriate protection.
Australian Retailers Association Chief Industry Affairs Officer Fleur Brown says when it comes to serious events, Victoria has the highest number of incidents at almost 19,000 in the last 12 months.
“We are calling on the Allan government to introduce legislation that includes tougher penalties for people who abuse or assault retail workers, bringing laws closer to what is in place in other states, to reduce harm to retail workers,” she says.
Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association National Assistant Secretary Helen Cooney says retail, warehousing and fast-food workers are working extremely hard in local supermarkets, shops, drive throughs and warehouses to keep things running this Christmas.
“They deserve to be safe at work,” she says. “State governments, including Victoria, need to legislate quickly so that the police and unions can prevent offenders being in these workplaces. Workplace Protection Orders should be introduced across the country.”
Under reported
The Council notes the likely under reporting of customer-related safety incidents in retail, with evidence showing that up to half of women and one in four men working in retail have experienced sexual harassment, a 56% increase in workers compensation claims for being assaulted or for exposure to workplace violence since 2018, and an increase in seriousness of incidents with a notable rise in knife crime.
In response to this under-reporting, a priority in 2025 for the RESC will be assessing variations to data input policies into reporting software systems available in an effort to make it easier than ever for workers and employers to report incidents.
The RESC remains committed to information-sharing, as well as insights into workplace design, systems of work, trauma-informed support measures and improved accessibility of reporting technology.