Govt Should Disband Retail Crime ‘Taskforce’ And Listen To Frontline Workers – Workers First Union

Workers First Union is calling for the Government to disband its failing “retail crime taskforce” and engage with retail workers directly to discuss solutions to the problem of increasing violence and theft in stores.

Rudd Hughes, Workers First Deputy Secretary, said it was clear that the taskforce, led by Dairy Owners Association Chair, Sunny Kaushal, was failing to tackle retail crime successfully and was already listening to the wrong people.

“The resignation of three of the taskforce’s five members shows what a disaster this expensive project has been, but it was heading in the wrong direction from the get-go,” said Mr Hughes.

“The solutions to retail crime will not come from business owners like the Dairy Owners Association, Retail NZ and Foodstuffs because they have an ultimate vested interest in minimising their operating costs, and we’re concerned that they won’t give investment into better workplace security the consideration it deserves.”

“Ask any retail worker and they will tell you that better workplace security is crucial to deter violent crime, both as a deterrent and in responding to escalating violence and abuse in retail stores.”

“The taskforce has instead come up with half-baked nonsense like strengthening citizens’ arrest powers and turning retail workers into their ‘free cops’ – putting workers and the public in harm’s way rather than tackling the real issue of investment into security.”

“Encouraging retailers to self-regulate in this way allows them to bypass the clear solution of requiring businesses to invest in better security to protect their staff as well as the shopping public.”

It has been reported that taskforce chair Sunny Kaushal was paid $230,000 for the group’s first year of operation. Mr Hughes said the money could be better used to pay the yearly salary for four or five experienced retail workers from businesses like Woolworths, The Warehouse, Kmart, Bunnings and Briscoes to lend their expertise.

Workers First has recently proposed the establishment of ‘worker assemblies’ through the union’s bold new ‘ Take the Power Back’ policy paper, which recommends that workers across target industries elect delegates and form assemblies to meet regularly and discuss critical issues. The union says the assemblies should be publicly funded and resourced with research support, with a particular focus on health and safety issues, and report to government on working conditions and risks in their sector. Government would be required to respond publicly to their recommendations, and introduce appropriate safety regulations based on the assemblies’ recommendations

“We would be much better off listening to experienced retail workers, who are sick of being ignored and made to feel unsafe, rather than some ‘taskforce’ made up of retail lobbyists that wastes money on luxury lunches, endless meetings and petty disagreements with each other,” said Mr Hughes.

“The whole thing was set up by the National Party to appease a few unhappy employers, and the blow-up this week is further evidence that this group is neither equipped nor ready to deal with the real issues that workers face on the job every day.”