Paul Davies AM is joining forces with USDAW, the union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers to launch a campaign in Wales to tackle the rising tide of violence, threats and abuse against shop workers across Preseli Pembrokeshire.

The campaign – called Freedom from Fear – is being rolled out in Wales to improve employers' support for a safe working environment in their stores and is backed by leading south Wales law firm, Leo Abse & Cohen.

Paul Davies AM has signed a giant Christmas card pledging to 'Keep it Cool at Christmas' and show his respect for shopworkers in the lead up to the stressful Christmas period.

According to the latest survey by USDAW, 56% of shopworkers have suffered verbal abuse from customers in the past year with staff at convenience store most at risk. It's not just young people and 'hoodies' who are responsible for such anti-social behaviour. The survey shows that violence and abuse against shopworkers is often caused by the most unlikely perpetrators.

Paul Davies AM said: "The issue of abuse against shopworkers is a serious one. Usdaw's latest survey of members shows that the majority of respondents were verbally abused at sometime in the last 12 months.

"The Freedom From Fear campaign will not only provide a vital platform for shop workers to speak out to their employers about their experiences. It will encourage employers to commit to supporting local crime reduction schemes and to work with police and local councils to reduce instances of abuse to shop workers in Wales."

John Hannett, General Secretary at USDAW added: "For too long shopworkers have felt they have to put up with violence, verbal abuse or threats as a customary part of their job.

"It is not just incidents of physical assault that pose a daily threat to shopworkers. A racist remark or rude comment can leave them feeling shaken and vulnerable for a long time after the incident. In some cases the experience is so traumatic, they feel they can't return to work and even change their jobs.

"We really want our message to hit home that abuse is not part of the job. Most of the big employers completely agree with our message and some have even displayed joint statements with the union reminding customers that abusive and violent behaviour will not be tolerated."

Employers are also being encouraged to sign an updated Respect Charter, display respect signs in their shops and implement safe and effective reporting systems to capture information about incidents of abuse and ensure they are properly reviewed. USDAW are also working to provide checklists for store staff and managers to check that employer's policies are working properly in their workplace.

Richard Norman, partner at Leo Abse & Cohen, said: "We handle cases for a number of clients who have suffered abuse in the workplace. In our experience their ordeal lasts far longer than the incident in question, and often affects their confidence and trust in customers for the rest of their lives. We must also recognise the cost and disruption that it causes to businesses, as well as the knock-on effects for local communities and consumers.

"By joining forces with USDAW and Paul Davies AM, we hope to raise the profile of the issue in Wales and place pressure on employers, Government and police to tackle the issue."

For more information, visit www.usdaw.org.uk