Karanpal Bhangu, 35, was killed in December 2015 while working at a convenience store in Edmonton. He is pictured with his son and wife in this image from gofundme.com.

Karanpal Bhangu, 35, was killed in December 2015while working at a convenience store in Edmonton. He is pictured with his son and wife in this image from gofundme.com.
Photo Credit: gofundme.com

Union calls for law to protect store clerks

Yet another convenience store clerk was assaulted in the western city of Edmonton early February 8, 2016, prompting a union to renew its call for new, worker safety legislation.

Two clerks were shot and killed in separate convenience store holdups in December. The news was chilling, particularly for parents of young people who often work part time at such jobs.

In the most recent attack, two men and a woman tried to rob a store using firearms. The employee suffered serious, but not life-threatening injuries.

Union wants locked barrier for late-night clerks

The Alberta Federation of Labour says the government should consider passing a safety law like one in the neighbouring province of British Columbia. It requires all-night retail employers to have more than one person on duty on night shifts when violent holdups are most likely. If there is only one employee, he or she should work in a locked area, behind a secure barrier.

New law ‘cannot come soon enough’

The union also want employers to be obliged to provide training on how to deal with robberies and situations where customers put gas in their vehicles and leave without paying.  The union wants the training to include assurances that money lost through theft will not be deducted from an employee’s pay.

Alberta’s justice minister says he intends intends to draft a new law. The union says it can’t happen soon enough

(With files from Canadian Press)

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