In a bid to protect food workers from rising temperatures, a group rallies for change, focusing on the vulnerabilities experienced during the 2021 heatwave.
Food service workers in British Columbia seek legislation for maximum temperature limits in workplaces to combat the dangers of working in excessive heat.
Workers Solidarity Network plans a rally to urge for changes that ensure safer working conditions during extreme weather.
The call for new standards comes after a report highlighted the adverse effects of the 2021 heat dome on food service employees.
Key quote:
“For food service workers, refusing unsafe work is very complicated for many of them, when their hours and their wages are on the line or they fear broader employer retaliation.”
— Jen Kostuchuk, climate and labour project coordinator at WSN
Why this matters:
For food workers, who often work in kitchens or environments where temperatures can soar due to cooking equipment, these regulations are a lifeline. High temperatures can lead to heat stress, dehydration, and more severe heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke, which not only endanger workers' health but also impair their ability to perform tasks safely and effectively.
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A Republican push meant to prevent Texas municipalities from protecting workers from the coronavirus pandemic also threatens to eliminate bare-bones requirements in two cities giving construction workers time to hydrate in the heat.
An out-of-work Blackjewel employee filed a class action lawsuit Tuesday alleging the bankrupt company violated federal labor law by failing to notify or compensate hundreds of workers before closing down
