People acting 'more and more aggressive' towards bar workers since Covid

People are behaving "more and more aggressive" towards bar and retail workers in Ireland.

So says Jim Furey, the Mandate Trade Union’s Assistant General Secretary who was Newstalk Breakfast this morning following the release of a survey by the Trade Union. 

It found that members are reportedly being subject to abuse every day. 

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Nearly two-thirds of bar and retail workers have faced verbal abuse at work, over a quarter have been threatened, and more than one in ten have been assaulted.

"We can see that our members are contacting the union on a daily basis now in relation to being abused and threatened. Sadly there seems to be no sign of it ceasing," Jim said.

He said that "aggression levels have increased dramatically" since the Covid-19 pandemic ended.

A new bill is being proposed by Senator Mary FitzPatrick called the 'Retail Workers Bill' and it would see abuse or assault to retail workers become an assault.

It came following the new 'Sale of Alcohol Bill' in 2022 which saw it become an offence to abuse or mistreat bar workers.

 "We believe it needs to be brought in to the justice department. We believe that the government need to back this private members bill and bring it into legislation as soon as possible," Jim said.