John —

Yesterday, Rep. Greg Casar, who represents Austin, TX, staged a thirst strike on the Capitol steps to bring attention to the plight of workers forced to work in extreme heat without water breaks.¹ Rep. Casar is calling on the Biden Administration to take action and guarantee heat safety protections for all workers.

John, right now there is no federal law mandating water breaks for workers in extreme heat. This, despite the fact that extreme heat kills more Americans than hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods every year.² In the hottest summer on record, with temperatures surging up to 115 degrees in some parts of Texas, the need for action is urgent — and lives are on the line.³

Will you join Rep. Casar’s call for a federal guarantee for all workers to water breaks in extreme heat by adding your name to the petition?

Add your name

Rep. Casar’s call for a federal mandate for water breaks comes after Texas Governor Greg Abbott passed a law that overrides local ordinances mandating water breaks for workers outdoors.

This cruel and inhumane law overturned ordinances in Austin and Dallas that have proven to save lives. Already, at least three workers have died this summer from extreme heat exposure in Texas since Abbott’s law was passed.⁴ And with climate scientists warning that deadly heat waves will become more common in years to come, we can’t look the other way as this preventable death toll rises.

Will you stand up for workers rights by joining Rep. Greg Casar’s call on the Biden Administration to guarantee water breaks for all workers? Add your name to the petition here.

In solidarity,

Working Families Party

Sources:

1. U.S. Rep. Greg Casar stages “thirst strike” to advocate for federally mandated water breaks in extreme heat, The Texas Tribune, July 25, 2023

2. Emergency room visits surge, Texans die amid dangerous heat wave , The Texas Tribune, June 30, 2023

3. At least 13 dead in Texas as scorching temps continue, ABC News, June 29, 2023

4. Texans die from heat after Governor bans mandatory water breaks, Texas Observer, July 6, 2023

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