Retail workers are anticipating heightened customer aggression this holiday season.

According to a survey by the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association (SDA), thousands of retail workers feel unsafe at work, with 87 per cent reporting verbal abuse from customers this year.

Woolworths has witnessed a surge in reported incidents of “violence, threats, and abuse” towards its workers, reaching 3,000 in the past year.

The company says it is actively implementing initiatives to deter offenders and has embraced recent reforms in New South Wales and South Australia aimed at enhancing retail worker protection.

Coles, responding to the rising challenges, has implemented various security measures such as electronic tags, security guards, CCTV, and counselling services for employees. 

To combat the escalating abuse, a new safety council is set to be established in Australia, with the SDA, the Australian Retailers Association, and other major retailers unveiling plans in November.

SDA National Secretary Gerard Dwyer says employers must adopt a zero-tolerance approach toward customer abuse. 

AT the same time, the SDA has initiated a class action against McDonald's Australia for allegedly compelling workers to undertake unpaid overtime. 

The lawsuit, seeking $100 million in backpay, asserts that McDonald's requested 25,000 managers and supervisors across 1,000 restaurants to work extra hours without compensation over a period exceeding six years.

All shift supervisors, department managers, assistant restaurant managers, and restaurant managers employed between December 2017 and December 2023 at any McDonald's in Australia are automatically part of the class action. 

The union is urging the court to impose penalties on the fast-food giant and its operators.