PHYSICAL assaults on workers rose by 57% last year, according to the latest results from the British Crime Survey for 2008-09. Workers in England and Wales suffered an estimated 627,000 incidents of violence during the year, comprising 321,000 assaults and 305,000 threats. Though the number of threats fell from 352,000 in 2007-08, assaults rose by 117,000 from 204,000. Putting the increase down to the recession in part, TUC general secretary Brendan Barber called for no tolerance of abuse or aggression against workers. "Greater levels of stress and a rise in activities such as shoplifting have led to an increase in violence against workers," he said.
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