We stopped first in Kidwelly to walk around the estate and then off to Trimsaran and something shocking happened to me whilst walking through the estate which will change the context of today’s blog entry away from politics.

For those followers that have been reading this blog on a regular basis, will be aware that I am a union rep working in retail, and that I have written several blog entries about USDAW’S  www.usdaw.org.uk award winning freedom from fear campaign.

One in 10 shopworkers physically assaulted

27 October 2008

One in every 10 shopworkers has at some point been physically assaulted, according to shopworkers’ union, Usdaw.

The union revealed its shock survey results in the run up to 'Respect for Shopworkers Week' at the beginning of November.

Besides store robberies, many staff are being assaulted whilst trying to get on with their daily job. Many of these incidents are motiveless and random attacks, whilst many more are customers getting angry at being asked for ID or refused alcohol.

John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary, said:

"It is an outrage that so many of our members can't get on with their daily job without the fear of abuse from customers. That's why Usdaw is running its 'Freedom From Fear' campaign again this year - to show that no abuse, either verbal or physical, of shopworkers is acceptable.

"Our survey shows that incidents of verbal abuse are going down. This is due in large part to our campaign, which has encouraged many employers to take the issue of staff safety much more seriously. However, the British Retail Consortium forecasts a possible rise in incidents of violence due to the economic downturn, coupled with increased stress over the Christmas period.

"Therefore we urge employers to make the security of their staff a top priority and for customers to keep their cool at Christmas and show due respect to shopworkers."

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Here’s a previous blog entry on usdaw’s campaign http://grasscarper.bravejournal.com/archive/11/4/2008

I think the next entry is probably the best one as there’s dozens of photos and stories, of me campaigning in the assembly, outside Carmarthen a Tesco, Llanelli Tesco and Llanelli Town center with several other Usdaw members

http://grasscarper.bravejournal.com/archive/11/10/2008

Anyway back to yesterday’s event why do people get so abusive without any cause?

Where was I, AHHH YES,  we were in Trimsaran and the leader of the county council Meryl Gravell joined us, we were greeted by the contractors and had a guided tour around some houses ready to be handed over to the tenants and we were walking up the street looking at half finished houses.

There were two workmen digging a hole in the middle of the pavement and the resident was leaning on his gate talking to the workmen. One of the men obviously knew Meryll and there was some harmful banter between them, I think he lived in the next ward because he was complaining about his councillor Tysul as the harmless banter continued they had started talking about Meryl’s Donkey still running, FOR INFO the new race course had held its first race the day before.

Anyway a guy came walking up the street and walked between them and as he approached his car door, he commented in an abrupt tone OI MATE don’t touch the car!

Stunned and shocked as there was nobody touching his car I was closest to his car and there was a good 18” between me and the car.

Meryll, myself, the contractor’s boss, a housing officer and two fellow councillors were standing on the road talking to the men, his car was half parked on the pavement and half on the road.

Excuse me What did you say?

You f….ing heard don’t touch the car, just because you are a bunch of councillors you all think you are big people.

Nobody’s touched your car.

Are you chopsing, you councillors you are all the same.

There was a deadly silence and the resident said That’s enough of that..

He jumped into his car revved it up as if he was in poll position on a formula one grid and pulled off trying to pull a wheel spin but the only smoke was not of rubber burning it was black carbon out of his exhaust pipe, he swerved around the park car about 10 yards up the road and then squeezed between a second park car and an oncoming car, he had about 6inches of clearance 3 inches on both sides.

If a child had stepped out they would have had no chance, what made the workmen laugh because one of them made a comment about the car being old on the W PLATE and the fact that it was smoking like a trooper

On that note I’ll think I’ll continue with what happened next later today or tomorrow as I’ve got things to do