Abusive shoppers paying the price of assaults on staff

Footage released on Thursday offers a snapshot of the kicking, shouting, shoving and swearing workers are exposed to from aggressive shoppers.

Almost nine out of 10 workers have had to put up with bad behaviour from the public, their union said on Thursday.

One in 10 workers reported being spat on.

"Everybody deserves to feel and be safe in Australian shopping centres," Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association NSW branch secretary Bernie Smith said.

"Sadly, retail workers do not (feel safe) with 88 per cent of workers being subjected to abuse including physical violence."

Almost one in 10 workers in NSW are in retail, making it the state's second largest industry.

Tougher workplace violence laws passed in June 2023 have resulted in more than 136 people being charged and 64 people being convicted.

Some 25 individuals have received a custodial sentence.

Mr Smith was hopeful the tough laws passed two years ago had deterred customers from behaving badly.

"There are now serious consequences for offenders who abuse retail workers including increased jail time ... don't ruin your life with a bad decision.

"Enough is enough, this must change. Everyone has a right to feel safe at work."

The laws make it an offence to assault, throw projectiles at, stalk, harass or intimidate a retail worker in the course of their day with a maximum penalty of 11 years in jail if grievous bodily harm is caused.

There was no place for abuse of any form in the workplace, Industrial Relations Minister Sophie Cotsis said. 

"As a former retail worker myself, I want people to take a moment to remember that the people who serve you deserve respect," she said on Thursday, marking Labour Day in several countries.

"If you do the wrong thing, if you threaten or assault a retail worker,  you can and will be charged."

A 2023 survey of more than 4600 retail workers reported one in eight had been victims of physical violence.

About half (52 per cent) said they had the same customer act abusively or violently on more than one occasion.

Australian Associated Press