Child Protection
Scotland fights violence against workers
UNISON, Scotland's largest public service union, has welcomed the first steps in legislative moves to charge anyone who assaults emergency services workers.
An amendment to current legislation creates a new offence of assault on an emergency service worker - in particular firefighters and emergency medical teams. UNISON supports this but thinks it should be extended to cover all public service workers attacked in the course of their work.
"A positive step forward like Paul Martin's amendment should be supported by MSPs." Said Matt Smith UNISON's Scottish Secretary. "But, vital though protection for our firefighters and ambulance crews is, violent attacks are increasingly suffered by many other public service workers during their work.
And violence is on the increase, in certain sectors we are talking a 100-200% rise in assaults. As well as firefighters and ambulance workers, social care staff, accident an emergency unit staff, traffic wardens and many others are experiencing serious assaults at the hands of their customers or clients.
"All these workers are working - often unsocial hours, and in poor conditions, to deliver all our services. We have a moral obligation to give them the best protection we can." Matt Smith said.
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