SHOP workers are suffering an epidemic of assaults, threats and abuse, a nationwide survey by their union Usdaw revealed yesterday.

The union surveyed 5,000 staff as part of its Freedom From Fear campaign and showed that on average 241 shop workers a day were assaulted last year. A third were threatened by customers and more than half were verbally abused.

“Our survey shows that life on the front-line of retail can be pretty tough for many shop workers and there is still a lot to do to help protect them,” said Usdaw general secretary John Hannett.

“We welcome Labour’s manifesto commitment to ensure staff who work with the public are given greater protection, with tougher penalties for those who assault them.

“Retail crime remains too high and there needs to be action to protect shop workers.”

On four occasions in the last parliament, Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs collaborated to defeat Labour amendments to legislation that would have provided stiffer penalties for those who assault shop workers.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper stressed Labour’s commitment to making people feel safer at work.

“I can assure everyone that a Labour government will make sure staff working with the public get greater protection from attacks, with tougher penalties for criminals,” she said.