US workers facing deadly heat borrow from tomato pickers to win key protections
As efforts to protect people from extreme heat stall, organizers are embracing an approach that targets major brands’ reputations
TL;DR
- This summer was the hottest on record in the US, increasing health risks for workers without heat protections.
- The Coalition of Immokalee Workers' Fair Food Program uses market-based enforcement to secure heat protections for farmworkers.
- This model is being adopted by other labor groups for various industries in the US and internationally.
- State and federal efforts to enact heat protections have stalled, leading organizers to pursue local ordinances and direct pressure on major corporations.
- Despite a victory in Miami-Dade County, a state law preempted the local ordinance, highlighting legislative barriers.
- Examples of heat-related worker deaths and health issues, such as kidney disease, are cited.
- The Fair Food Program's success is attributed to sustained pressure on major food retailers through protests and boycotts.
- WeCount is currently targeting Costa Farms using a similar strategy to expand worker protections in the indoor plant industry.