Up to half million shop workers suffer verbal abuse every day, a report by the retail union Usdaw suggests. The study found there was a 35% increase last year in swearing, sexist comments and other forms of verbal abuse from « out-of-control » shoppers. The survey also reveals that 20, 000 shop workers were physically abused in 2005.
The union surveyed 500 workers and some said they suffered depression bacause of the level of abuse. Others gave up their jobs because of the stress. Usdaw has launched a campaign to highlight the problem.
