Europe’s Largest Unions Demand Right to Cancel Work on Days Above 30C
Unions across Europe are calling on governments to introduce legislation to safeguard workers from rising temperatures, after western Europe recorded its hottest June on record.
https://novaramedia.com/2026/07/09/europes-largest-unions-demand-right-to-cancel-work-on-days-above-30c/Open linkView original on quokk.au
42 replies
Man I wish we'd try for that here in the US too... Last week the factory hit 121F/49.4C as far as the heat index goes...
For the Unions make us strong
Is there no law for this in your state?
The law is written vague on purpose...
"All factories must maintain a reasonable temperature an humidity."
Wtf is reasonable? Reasonable is an opinion...
121F is unreasonable
Not if you're this guy's boss.
In Austin, Texas we had years where temps were above 100°f for over 90 days straight. During that time, construction workers were still required to work.
EDIT: In case it was not clear. This was not meant to be a positive. Working is such temperatures is VERY hazardous to your health.
for the Unions make us strong
For all the immigration bullshit they spew, Texas Republicans are the first to look the other way when it comes to undocumented workers in the construction sector.
they like it when they have a workforce without rights that can be deported at any point. Slave labour 2.0
For Texas, substitute unemployed with undocumented workers.
from Now and After, by Alexander Berkman, Chapter 5: Unemployment. Available to read for free here.
I was an electrician in Ohio, and it goes the other way too. Drive through snow storms in freezing temperatures to go work in a building that doesn't even have walls
I recall the days of running chainsaw at 43C. I wouldnt wish that on anyone
Embrace Spanish culture and bring siestas to the world!
The heat makes me pass out. Necessito una siesta in the middle of the day.
I'm all for this AS LONG AS IT INCLUDES PROVISIONS FOR TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED VS NOT. An office worker where there office is consistently between 68-72f should still go to work. A construction worker, gardener, road maintenance etc where they are out in the sun should totally be covered by this.
It's not just the workplaces, it's the housing. I don't want people driving to work sleep deprived after they've struggled to sleep in a hot bedroom all night. Especially not en masse.
Ok granted I didn't take that into account. That's a good point.
They probably want to go to the AC'ed office.
But there they are forced to spend their already depleted resources, unless they go to nap
Yeah. Either you have a national policy of having ACs accessible to people, or if the temps don‘t drop below 24 C at night people get off work. Seems fair to me.
Respectfully, fuck off with your Fahrenheits.
Of all the things to be a whiney bitch about, you went with temperature conversions? Grow up, crybaby. Respectfully.
527.68-531.67 R, is that better?
Ok I get that I should of converted...
They're just numbers, they can't hurt you.
If spec says 30 degrees and you make it F instead of C, it can definitely hurt a lot of folks.
I am a carpenter, I work inside moat of the time. When it was 44°c out we had AC in the work place so it was nice, but I couldn't sleep in my 35°c apartment at night so I was a zombie the whole day. It doesn't really work that way my dude.
When I had no AC but work did, I absolutely preferred work to home when it was hot lol
Of course, hot wave in my country is 30C, 35 tops. So far. It was never going to be lethal at least.
I was happy to be there yes but doing physical work is something else tho. Just wanted to sleep
Found the manager. It's still dangerous to travel in these temps. Transportation does break down, especially so in extreme weather.
Failure, I'm not a manager. I didn't take transportation into account since I've been luck to have short commutes most of my life.
If it succeeds, I wonder what the provision will be for remote working. AFAIK most people in Northern Europe and the UK don't have aircon in their homes.
True, but thankfully that's changing. Not quickly enough, but it is
refreshes tracking page for his AC for the seventh time today
Merz: “work in 35C factories and I hate you!”
This is the way!
That's 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
Huh, that seems a hair low...
Ah yep, this seems well thought out. I would pass it as-is. Though WBGT would be even better since it takes into account direct sunlight, wind, and humidity.
I guess you have to start low to compromise on something a bit fairer? ^^
Unironically the best way to fight climate change
Well, they’ll obviously have to do something before people start dropping dead on the regular. Where I’m at it gets insanely hot during the day so construction and what not during the summer months is usually at night time. Not ideal, but it’s better than being in the sun.
Oof climate deniers/resource vampires aren't going to like this