Retail Workers in NYC Demand Action as Organized Crime Fuels Rising Robberies and Violence

If the winemakers and retailers of New York City are dealing daily with thieves in their businesses, already facing theft, physical and verbal attacks, as something normal, workers in large department stores, in another proportion, They also suffer from the increasing trend of robberies and the risks of violence. But in this case, the threat mostly comes from more sophisticated organized crime structures.

As the leaders of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), nearly two-thirds of its members experienced verbal harassment or intimidating behavior from a client.

More than half of those surveyed have not received training from their employer, on how to respond to the actions of thieves.

Only 5% of respondents agreed with the following statement: My employer has made changes to the workplace, after a violent incident, to make my job safer.

“Retail workers have the right to go to work every day and not worrying about returning home at the end of the day to your family “, he expressed Félix Ocasio, president of Local 1-S RWDSU/UFCW that represents the workers of the emblematic Macy’s store in Herald Square in Manhattan. as do the Queens and Parkchester warehouses.

The union leader emphasizes that workers’ complaints of violent behavior by clients are on the rise, which is why they are pressing for approval of new legislation that protects this workforce.

Félix Ocasio, heads the union that represents Macy’s chain workers in NYC: “Workers should not go to their jobs worried about some type of attack.” (Photo: F. Martínez)

What is the idea?

To address the exponential onslaught of these crimes, the RWDSU is supporting the president of the Senate Labor CommitteeJessica Ramos, and the Assemblymember Karines Reyes, Chair of the Workplace Safety Subcommittee, in the preliminary draft Retail Worker Safety Act. (S.8358).

This initiative would require employers of these businesses create safe working conditions for your employeesthrough the implementation of continuous preventive training, carrying out periodic risk assessments and the maintaining detailed records of workplace violence incidents.

“There has already been a lot of debate about increasing penalties for organized robbery gangs. But we still have to talk about the fact that these workers are often on the front lines, to address the mental health crisis, poverty and lack of gun control. Unionized retail workers have the opportunity to negotiate better safety measures,” Ramos reasoned.

The dilemma: Too flexible laws?

From January to June 2023, robbery in New York City increased by 12 percent compared to the same period in 2022 and 58 percent more compared to the first six months of 2017. On the map of the increase in this category of crimes, the Big Apple continues to be at the top of the list in the entire country.

The nature of this new wave of robberies, according to the profiles handled by the authorities, rather than isolated thieves, involves gangs that repeatedly attack stores that sell higher-value merchandise, including famous brand clothing, and then resell them in markets. secondary, such as eBay, OfferUp y Facebook Marketplaceor even in street sales stalls.

Both Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul have insisted on making adjustments to the controversial Bail Law and the criminal justice system.

In fact, in the 2025 budget project presented by the state president, $40 million set aside to create special state police squad to help crack down on thieves. Likewise, some adjustments are proposed to the punishments for minor crimes such as theft, although technically it is still not clear in what aspects.

According to the continuous complaints of small and large merchants, even Serial thieves, even if arrested, are usually released the same day by the criminal laws in force in New York since January 2020.

The threshold for the New York criminal justice system to consider a robbery a felony, which could directly result in a one-year prison sentence, is when the person has taken possession of products whose value amounts to $1,000 or more.

It has been news in the Big Apple that pharmacies and department stores They have had to close, because they cannot handle the high volume of thefts.

The chambers of commerce have argued that their members have already done enough by investing in special state-of-the-art camera systems, theft detectors and more security employees, which has meant multimillion-dollar investments.

In the middle of this diatribe, the Assemblyman Karines Reyes proposes that beyond efforts to toughen criminal penalties for organized groups that engage in retail theft, This problem must be addressed comprehensively.

“This legislation that we are presenting would prepare employers and workers by requiring “adequate training, threat assessments and transparency in incidents that occur”he highlighted.

Those affected speak

A worker from Macy’s on 34th Street of Manhattan, considered the largest department store in the world, told The newspaper that every day there are incidents. The most common is that they catch people trying to remove products without paying for them and when there is a claim or review, There are almost always violent reactions.

“I have been working in this same place for 12 years. And there have always been thieves, but in a couple of years now, as they have made the laws more flexible, they are not even afraid of the police. Now in this winter, how things can be stuffed into coats, it’s a disaster.”said a Puerto Rican employee who preferred not to reveal his name.

It’s a statement, Shaun Kavanaugh, president of RWDSU/UFCW Local 3 representing Bloomingdale`s workers believes that many solutions are currently being proposed to address theft and violence in retail stores, but no one except unions is asking workers what should be done.

“Employers must create safe workplaces and Retail Worker Safety Act Would Make That Happen. “That’s all we ask for,” she said.

The data:

• 25,000 Shoplifting arrests in all five boroughs confirmed by the New York City Police Department during the year 2023.

2024-01-29 14:04:17
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