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A UNION official has been left nursing her wounds after she says she was repeatedly roughly manhandled on the picket line by Harrods security guards during the biggest-ever strike facing the luxury London shop.
Molly de Dios Fisher of the United Voices of the World (UVW) union said she was left with a fractured finger and whiplash after being repeatedly pushed into the ground by guards while handing out leaflets at the swanky Knightsbridge store last week, when hundreds joined the picket on the second of a three-day strike for better conditions for workers there.
“There were a number of security guards who were being quite unpleasant, rude and sarcastic,” the diminutive 31-year-old said. “I was pushed so forcefully to the ground several times. The second time my neck went back sharply.
“The third time someone filmed it. Although it looked like a hard push, it was not as forceful as the previous security officers’ assault. I have whiplash and a fractured finger as a result of their violence.
“Luckily, no-one else was hurt. I felt extremely shaken and upset.”
The guards refused to give their names and concealed their Security Industry Authority (SIA) badges from her, Ms de Dios Fisher said.
UVW general secretary Petros Elia said it would have been clear that she was a union official.
He told the Morning Star that Harrods should be stripped of its security guard licence for encouraging its staff to be as “rough as possible” with picketers.
He claimed that it “was quite clear they felt they had express permission to do so from Harrods.”
“There was no justification whatsoever that the security officers, who were about twice the size of Molly, should have used such force — and violent force at that — against her,” he said.
The assault has been reported to the police and complaints made to the SIA.
An SIA spokeswoman said that protecting the public is the body’s priority. She said: “All SIA-licensed security operatives are trained in conflict management.
“Should a licence-holder do anything that means they fail to comply with our licensing conditions, or they do not live up to the standards of behaviour we require, we will investigate the matter.”
A Harrods spokesman said: “We have ongoing open communication directly with our colleagues and our recognised unions on pay and benefits.
“We are committed to working with our colleagues directly to address concerns, as we have been to date, and continue our constructive relationship with our recognised unions on pay and benefits.”
Harrods was approached for further comment.
