As many more Sydneysiders flock to the Central Coast to self isolate, the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, Newcastle and Northern Branch (SDA) has issued a reminder on respecting the safety and well being of retail workers who “remain at the frontline of keeping the community fed and provisioned”.
Branch Assistant Secretary, David Bliss, said: “We welcome you to our region.
“However, the Union reminds our visitors to treat the retail workforce with respect and follow some basic rules.
“Please wash or sanitise your hands before entering our shops, use your debit or credit card rather than cash if at all possible, and please pack your own shopping bags.”
Bliss urged those in mandatory self-isolation, including those recently returned from overseas, not to enter Central Coast workplaces.
“The Union has received several disturbing reports of customers, who should be self-isolating, visiting our stores,” he said.
“This is selfish and despicable and they are putting the health and lives of our members at risk.”
Bliss said retailers would work with the Union to identify, exclude and report any customers who are breaking the law by shopping when they should be in self-isolation.
Bliss also urged customers to be calm and patient, with shortages of many items continuing.
“The combination of community anxiety and shortages in some stock is a toxic mix for some customers, who take it out on frontline workers,” he said.
“The Union is very pleased that more and more retailers are supporting the Union’s ‘No One Deserves A Serve’ campaign, which adopts a zero tolerance approach to abuse and violence.
“Now is the time for our community to co-operate, respect each other and to obey the health recommendations so that we can re-emerge at the end of this crisis better and stronger.”
Source:
Media release, Mar 29
Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, Newcastle and Northern Branch