Victoria’s Premier, Jacinta Allan, has announced new legislation to protect retail, public transport, and fast food workers from customer abuse and assault. The Labor government will change the law to address the unacceptable attacks on customer service workers.
“These workers deserve nothing but our respect. And we’re going to help make sure they get it,” Ms. Allan stated in a media release.
The Shop, Distributive, and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA) conducted a national survey of 4,200 workers in 2023, revealing that a high percentage of customer service workers experienced regular abuse, with some even facing physical and mental health impacts.
The survey found that 87 percent of workers had experienced verbal abuse from customers in the last 12 months, with 12.5 percent reporting physical violence, 9 percent reporting spitting, and 17 percent reporting sexual abuse and violence.
Repeat offenders were identified as a problem, with 76 percent of those verbally abused experiencing it on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. 52 percent reported that the same customer was abusive or violent towards them on multiple occasions.
As a response, the Victorian government will convene a Worker Protection Consultation Group to develop a legislative approach that considers new penalties or offenses, expands existing ones, and offers protections against stalking, harassment, or intimidation.
The government aims to introduce a Bill to Parliament by the end of 2025 to ensure the safety of customer service workers and deter violence and harassment against them.
The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) praised the reforms, urging other states to follow Victoria’s lead in addressing customer hostility and assault. CEO Paul Zahra emphasized the importance of creating a safe work environment for all retail workers.
Legislation reforms to protect customer service workers have also been implemented in other states such as New South Wales, Western Australia, Northern Territory, and South Australia, following similar surveys and concerns about worker safety.
The legislation now dictates that individuals who assault retail workers could be sentenced to a maximum of seven years in prison or three years and a fine of $36,000 (US$24,000). This marks a significant increase from the previous penalties in WA, which were limited to 18 months in prison and an $18,000 (US$12,000) fine. These stricter consequences aim to protect retail workers and deter acts of violence in the workplace.
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