The Union has produced a leaflet and petition against the cuts and will use its annual Respect for Shop-workers Week, which takes place between 7 – 11 November, to urge shoppers and members of the public to back the campaign and sign Usdaw’s petition.

Usdaw General Secretary John Hannett announced the campaign at the Labour Party’s Annual Conference in Liverpool where he was proposing a motion from Usdaw condemning police and public service cuts. Speaking to a packed conference hall in the Crime, Justice and Citizenship Debate, John Hannett said: “Every minute of every day a shop-worker is assaulted, threatened or abused so during my speech to you today at least five shop-workers will have been on the wrong side of an angry customer, a shoplifter trying to get away with it or a youngster who has been refused a sale of alcohol.”

“That is why one of Usdaw’s major campaigns is called Freedom from Fear. Shop-workers should be free from the fear of violence, threats and verbal abuse and it should never be accepted as just a part of the job.”

“But it isn’t only shop-workers that face these problems. NHS staff, teachers, fire-fighters, the police and all public-facing workers have the same concerns.”

“While it is an employer’s first duty to keep their employees safe it is government’s first duty to keep all of us safe. That is where this Tory-led coalition will fail us, with a predicted loss of 16,000 frontline police officers, 1,800 PCSOs and over 16,000 policing staff who do vital work to keep police officers on the frontline.”

“This government’s unprecedented cuts in funding will affect frontline policing. Don’t just take my word for it – the Police Federation are saying today “20% cuts to policing are criminal”. “We know that Labour’s investment in police made a real difference. Crime fell by 43% because a Labour government put thousands of extra officers on the street, created PCSOs to give a higher profile to street policing, formed neighbourhood police teams and gave the public a greater say in how their communities were policed.”

“That reduction in crime was replicated for shop-workers and the British Retail Consortium’s Annual Retail Crime Survey shows that violent incidents against shop-workers have halved since 2004. That just goes to show what can be achieved when a Labour Government takes the lead, bringing together employers, police, local authorities and the staff through their trade union to work jointly against violence, threats and abuse.”

“Does anyone really believe that by cutting frontline policing crime will continue to fall – as it did with Labour? That is not the logical conclusion I draw. I fear that when these cuts bite we will be left with a much less effective police force that will be grossly under-staffed and terribly demoralised.”

“I fear that Britain will return to the dark days of Thatcher with high unemployment, high crime and little hope.”

“Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Labour MPs up and down the country have done a first rate job opposing the police cuts in Parliament and Labour’s next manifesto must have a commitment to ensuring there are sufficient numbers of police officers to keep crime falling once again.”

“This November, Usdaw members up and down the country will be campaigning and petitioning against police cuts and we look forward to working with Labour MPs and constituency parties to oppose them.”

Plans in the mayor’s budget reveal a cut of 455 officers by the time London hosts the Olympics in 2012, the first substantial cut in numbers in London since power over policing was devolved in 2000. The mayor’s budget lays out the proposed cuts and says: “Over the three years to 2012-13, the number of police officers is forecast to decrease by 455.”

Scotland Yard have also announced a freeze in recruiting new constables, and in part blamed “the current economic position”.

Figures for the Met are available on the MPA website: http://www.mpa.gov.uk/statistics/police-numbers/

The 30-strong, Transport for London (TfL) funded  Metropolitan Police Cycle Task Force hit the Capital’s streets in June 2010, investigating and tackling cycle theft and criminal damage to bicycles.

Of the 200 arrests made by the Cycle Task Force in their first year, 175 have been for offences related to theft, with 74 per cent of those resulting in a positive outcome.

The Cycle Task Force is part of the Mayor’s Cycling Revolution, whereby the Mayor and TfL have worked closely with the police to drive down theft and make cycling safer and more secure.

In the 12 months since the Cycle Task Force launched, the Capital has seen a three per cent reduction in the number of bikes stolen in London, compared to the previous 12 months.

Cycle Task Force officers use various tactics to deter cycle crime in London. They gather valuable intelligence on suspected cycle theft-related cases, conduct high-visibility patrols and advise cyclists on issues such as security, safety and how to protectively mark their bikes.

In September 2010, ten additional Traffic Officers who hold advanced driving and riding qualifications became part of the Cycle Task Force. These officers focus on road user behaviour and breaches of traffic regulations, including cyclists who go through red lights and motorists who encroach past advanced stop lines (ASLs) which are reserved for cyclists.

As part of their efforts to raise awareness of safety issues involving cyclists, the Cycle Task Force have also engaged with over 6000 people through ‘Exchanging Places’ events. These events allow people to sit in the driver’s seat of an HGV (heavy goods vehicle) or bus to get a better understanding of what the driver can and can’t see, especially in regards to cyclists on the nearside and directly in front of the vehicle.

During a recent Cycle Task Force investigation, officers returned eight stolen bikes to their rightful owner after the bikes were spotted for sale online. The Cycle Task Force officers collaborated with Ealing’s MPS burglary squad after a report from the victim that her unique bikes, which had been stolen during a burglary, where listed on an auction site. The Cycle Task Force made enquiries with the website and as a result carried out a search warrant at a house in Sutton in March this year. A total of 14 bikes were found at the location, including the eight stolen during the burglary.

The victim, Charlotte Barnes, said: “We are profoundly grateful to the Metropolitan Police Service… My biggest vote of thanks though, goes out to the fabulous members of the Cycle Task Force. These guys are out there day in, day out, working for cycling and for cyclists in London, preventing and solving cycle crime.”

In addition to the successful introduction of the Cycle Task Force, TfL has also been working with road safety and cycling organisations and the freight industry to develop and deliver a Cycle Safety Action Plan.

The safety of London’s cyclists is a key priority for the Mayor and TfL and they are committed to making cycling in London as safe as possible. The Cycle Safety Action Plan sets out a range of actions to improve cycle safety in London. One initiative is to work with the freight industry to identify the most appropriate cycle safety devices for a variety of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). TfL has completed a technology trial with products designed specifically to alert HGV drivers to the presence of cyclists in close proximity of their vehicles. The final report documenting the results of the trial will be published later this summer, and is intended to be used as a guide for freight operators when selecting safety devices. TfL offers discounts for Freight Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) members for various technology devices including side-scan sensors and close proximity camera systems.

Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor of London’s Director for Environment, said: “Our Cycle Task Force has made a real impact and I’m delighted with the progress they’ve made in tackling bike thefts and road safety so far. They are playing a key part in the cycle revolution the Mayor is bringing to the capital and I believe their efforts will give even more Londoners the confidence to take to two wheels.”

Cycle Task Force Chief Inspector Ian Vincent, said: “Since the introduction of the Cycle Task Force, London has seen a reduction in bike thefts and an increased awareness of cycle safety and security. However, we are not complacent and we will continue to create an environment where all cyclists and potential cyclists feel safe and secure to enjoy cycling in the Capital.”

Siwan Hayward, Deputy Director of Community Safety, Enforcement and Policing at TfL, said: “The hard work by the MPS Cycle Task Force unit over the past year shows that TfL, the Metropolitan Police and the Mayor take cycle theft seriously, and will continue to make cycle safety and security a priority as numbers continue to grow in the Capital.”

The MPS have recently selected BikeRegister as the preferred cycle register and bike marking product for London. BikeRegister, run by Selectamark will now supply police officers and local councils in London’s 32 boroughs with its bike marking kits and secure online registration service – www.bikeregister.com.

The Three R’s:

There are three simple steps that all cyclists should take so that if there bike is stolen they stand a good chance of being reunited with it:

Record – Keep a record for yourself of the frame number, make and any other marks that can identify your bike if it is stolen. The Cycle Taskforce run a number of bike marking events, details can be found at http://www.met.police.uk/transport/cycle_marking.html

Register – There are a number of websites where cyclists can register the details of their bikes and any distinguishing features/ frame numbers etc. The MPS have recently selected BikeRegister as the preferred cycle online registration service – www.bikeregister.com.

Report – If your bike is stolen then please make sure that you report it to the police. Bike theft is a significantly under reported crime. Reporting the theft will enable us to check databases and contact the owner once the bike is recovered.

As part of the continuing campaign against cycle theft, TfL and the MPS Safer Transport Command have produced a video that advises cyclists on how to protect their bike, available from the TfL and MPS YouTube pages. You can also find the ‘Exchanging Places’ video on the MPS YouTube page, which raises awareness of the dangers of collisions between cyclists and large vehicles.