Union calls for retail workers to be treated with ‘dignity and respect’

The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) is calling on retailers to treat their workers with “dignity and respect” during the holiday season.

The union said retail workers are facing higher levels of harassment and violence on top of the usual stress and pressure that come with the busiest season of the year.

“Retail workers bear the brunt of shoppers’ frustration when it comes to rising inflation and perpetuating supply chain issues,” Stuart Appelbaum, president of RWDSU, said in a statement. “Workers are not to blame, and stores should provide security, safety protocols, and training to handle irate shoppers this season as well as safe staffing levels.”

The statement also stressed that e-commerce workers are often “unseen and unheard,” even as they face “inhumane quotas and unsafe working conditions.” Amazon workers in particular are “forced to work mandatory overtime” at an unsustainable pace, according to the union.

“Amazon must reduce its unbearable pace of work which has resulted in thousands of documented physical and mental injuries,” Appelbaum said. “And most importantly, Amazon must stop union-busting,” he added.

The union is calling on lawmakers to pass legislation to “prevent workplace violence, stop limitless quotas, protect worker health and safety, and ensure workers are safe in extreme temperatures.”

The message came as workers at hundreds of Starbucks stores staged a walkout last week to protest working conditions. Starbucks Workers United led the effort and demanded changes, including higher wages and staffing and more predictable schedules. The group also decried racial and sexual harassment from customers, managers, and coworkers.

The labor action coincided with a promotional event called Red Cup Day, when Starbucks hands out free, reusable holiday-themed cups with coffee purchases.