Backlash brews against Texas law that eliminates mandatory water breaks
www.nbcnews.com
Texas had three straight weeks of high humidity and triple-digit temperatures in June. Critics of the law say it will create dangerous conditions for construction workers in heat waves

As Texas sweltered last month under a weekslong, record-breaking heat wave, the state passed a law that will eliminate mandatory water breaks for construction workers in cities where such ordinances had been in place to protect people from extreme heat. Now, backlash is brewing.

House Bill 2127 passed the state Legislature and Gov. Greg Abbott promptly signed it into law on June 14. The bill, which goes into effect in September, strips construction workers in Austin and Dallas of the right to water breaks every four hours and time to rest in the shade while on the job.

The new law comes as Texas endured three straight weeks of high humidity and triple-digit temperatures in June. Such intense and long-lasting heat waves are expected to become more common in a warming world, climate scientists have said.

  • prole@sh.itjust.works
    19·
    1 year ago

    How could anyone reasonably defend this? The cruelty is clearly the point… Regulations like this are written in blood.

    I guess we went so long with things working marginally well (in general), that everyone is convinced that the regulations that got us there are unnecessary. Things are only going to get worse until we (maybe) learn these lessons the hard way again.

    • kuontom@kbin.socialOP
      7·
      1 year ago

      From the bill

      Texas cities have passed burdensome local ordinances, creating a patchwork regulations across the state. These policies are better left to the employer, and if necessary, the state and federal government. Uniformity and consistent policy gives employers and employees greater clarity and flexibility.

      It’s a move aiming to centralize control of the state.

      the purpose of this Act is to provide regulatory consistency across this state and return the historic exclusive regulatory powers to the state where those powers belong.

      • prole@sh.itjust.works
        13·
        1 year ago

        Oh, I know the actual reason. Just wondering how conservatives can/will try to explain their reasoning.

        “Give power back to employers” is just more anti-worker bullshit.

    • Flaky_Fish69@kbin.social
      4·
      1 year ago

      the cruelty is the point

      not really. The point is… that the GOP exist to make the 1% richer. These water breaks add up to a not-negligible amount of down time.

      You loose more when you have to stop work because your crew is dying from heat stroke, but… details.