Scotland Gearing Up for New Bill on Workers’ Rights
Assaulting workers will soon attract tougher penalties in
The Bill recognises any assault of workers, for instance shopworkers, as an aggravated crime, as is presently the law for frontline workers like those employed in the emergency services. In fact, the USDAW union is demanding the same protection for workers to be applied in
Hugh Henry MSP is trying to introduce the Workers (Aggravated Offences) Bill, which is to be drafted by May this year. Workers’ unions like USDAW, Unite, Unison, CWU and ASLEF are supporting the Bill.
Henry said violent assault of workers in
He said the aim of the Emergency Workers Act 2005 was to give more protection to certain categories of workers by meting out harsher punishments to those found guilty of assaulting them or getting in the way of their work. Henry added that the objective of the current legislation was to increase the cover of the Emergency Workers Act to any worker who offers a direct public service.
USDAW General Secretary John Hannett said shopworkers provided a key service to the public but were often victims of violence and abuse. He pointed out that their recent survey found one out of ten shopworkers were abused at the workplace.
Hannett added that USDAW is not only backing Hugh Henry’s bill in
Protecting the health and safety of employees is an essential part of risk management. The health and safety consultants from Workplace Law can assist managers and supervisors in all they need to know to help handle health and safety in their teams, and to help their organisation find the best ways to lead and promote health and safety, and therefore meet its legal obligations.
