SLR AWARDS 2021 A VIRTUAL FESTIVAL OF EXCELLENCE
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD
DANIEL JOHNSON MSP Retailers in Scotland can look forward to safer, more respectful working environments in the future thanks to the outstanding efforts of Daniel Johnson MSP.
For as long as anyone can remember, abuse and violence have been part of working in the local retailing sector. What’s worse is that this abuse and violence seem to have become normalised and generally accepted as ‘part of the job’. Countless studies find shopworkers are abused, threatened, assaulted and worse daily. So it’s hard to overestimate the importance of a new law introduced in Scotland after some lengthy and outstanding work by Daniel Johnson MSP. Supported by the Scottish Grocers’ Federation, Johnson steered his Shopworkers Protection Bill through parliament until it finally became law this autumn. It is a monumental achievement and one that promises the opportunity to rid our sector of a scourge that has
overshadowed local retailing for as long as anyone can remember. The new law offers shopworkers greatly increased protection while simply going about their work – and is long overdue. SLR Publisher Antony Begley said: “On behalf of the entire local retailing sector in Scotland, I would like to thank Daniel Johnson for his commitment to getting this done. As he has long maintained, abuse and violence are ‘not part of the job’. It’s unacceptable in a modern society. As Johnson says himself, however, the new law is the start of a journey, not the end of one. The entire sector needs to work together to help eradicate this scourge by reporting every crime every time. And let’s hope our retail cousins across the UK also get to benefit from this type of long overdue protection soon.”
www.slrawards.com
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