Toronto – July 16, 2025 – Frontline workers are the everyday heroes who keep our communities running — making sure we are fed, healthy, and safe. Yet, these workers are facing an alarming rise in violence and harassment on the job.
The majority of frontline workers are women and members of marginalized communities. In public-facing sectors like retail, health care, and hospitality, women and gender-diverse workers make up most of the workforce. For them, workplace violence is not just an occupational hazard — it is also gender-based violence (GBV).
Shockingly, seven out of ten frontline retail workers are women. These workers often face aggression and abuse from customers and the public, placing them at the dangerous intersection of workplace violence and GBV. No one should be afraid to go to work, and no one should be forced to endure harassment simply for doing their job.
UFCW Canada’s campaign, “Violence is Not Part of the Job,” is calling for an end to this unacceptable abuse. We believe that all frontline workers deserve to perform their duties in safe, respectful environments, free from fear and discrimination. But we can’t achieve this change alone. Governments, employers, and unions must work together to implement stronger protections and enforce zero-tolerance policies toward violence and harassment.
We invite you to stand with us. Sign on to UFCW Canada’s open letter demanding that Canadian businesses take responsibility and commit to creating safer workplaces for all frontline workers.
Join us today — because every worker deserves respect, safety, and dignity on the job.
