Working with the ICA & Better Protection for Shopworkers

We’re now in Co-op Fortnight, which runs from 22nd June to 5th July. The fortnight is a celebration of Co-ops and co-operation with this year’s theme being Let’s build something better together #KeepCooperating.

We’ve highlighted over the past few days on Colleague Connect many of the ways we have helped the communities in which we trade – whether by supporting food banks, making over 50,000 home deliveries or by helping local groups such as Alz café & Gloucester Young Carers through our Community Restart fund. I’m proud of everything we have all done and continue to do to help – and want to again say thank you to each and everyone of you for the part you’ve played in that.

We’ve had real interest in the work that we have all been doing during this time from Co-ops outside of the UK as well. The International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) is the global body for all 3 million co-ops in the world. Representatives met during the last couple of days by video-conference – and we were asked to talk about how we have responded as an example of best practice.

Of course, other Co-ops in the UK and across the world have also been working with communities during the pandemic and Co-op Fortnight allows all Co-ops to showcase the response of the movement, and to encourage members and potential new members to continue to work co-operatively.

Working with other Co-ops is, of course, part of our values and principles. I wrote last week that it’s important that we continue to do the right thing, be that protecting colleagues and customers, supporting the most vulnerable members of our communities or protecting our business interests. I also said that sometimes this requires us taking a stance on certain issues and calling out what we believe is not right.

The Co-op Party have helped us do that over the past few weeks, on issues ranging from free school meals, changes needed in the travel industry and recognising the importance of childcare nurseries during the pandemic.

We’re focusing at the moment on a matter of real importance to all of us. That’s the issue of violence against colleagues in store. We’ve worked really closely with USDAW on this, have invested in equipment, shared best practice with other Societies, worked with you on training and continue to listen to your ideas and thoughts on what else we can do.

However, we also need to change legislation to ensure that ALL retail workers get better protection in the law. Alex Norris is a Co-op MP who introduced the “Assaults on Retail Workers (offences)” bill in the House of Commons. This, if it becomes law, will create a new offence recognising the key role all shop workers play & provides tougher penalties to those acting in that way.  

Many retailers joined together to get that evidence from anyone who has been affected.

The closure for evidence was a year ago tomorrow, with the Government then due to review this and respond with what their strategy will be. That hasn’t been done yet.  

Alex Norris’s bill comes back to Parliament for further debate in September.

We will be working alongside other Co-op Societies, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), Usdaw, Co-op Party and other retailers to get this proposed legislation to become law. That campaign will be given a strong focus from today.  We are in full support of this and will play our part to ensure that all retail colleagues are given greater protection in law, and highlighting that it’s been a year since the Government was given that information.

The campaign will be on social media from today using the hashtag #safercolleaguessafercommunities and I’d encourage you to use it in support.

As always, let me have your thoughts by commenting below

Phil