Press Release: National Consumers League condemns legislation in Florida that preempts local ordinances to protect workers from heat exposure
March 15, 2024/in Child labor, Labor, Press release, Statement, Uncategorized, Workers’ Rights, Workplace safety child labor, forced labor, press relases, press release, press releases press_releases, workers_rights Press Releases, Statements March 15, 2024 Media contact: National Consumers League – Melody Merin, melodym@nclnet.org, 202-207-2831 Washington, DC – The National Consumers League is condemning a vote by the Florida House of Representatives to approve legislation that will upend Miami-Dade’s proposed local workplace standards requiring drinking water, cooling measures, recovery periods, posting or distributing materials informing workers how to protect themselves, and requiring first aid or emergency responses. The Florida Senate approved the measure yesterday. This measure rushed through the state legislature ahead of adjournment on Friday, March 8th and will prevent local governments throughout Florida from requiring water, shade breaks or training so workers can protect themselves from heat illness, injury, and fatality. Reid Maki, director of child labor advocacy for the Child Labor Coalition under the National Consumers League, made this statement: “Not only is the Florida legislature usurping the duty of local government to protect workers from heat stress in one of the hottest states in America, but by denying workers access to water and protection this Dickensian measure ignores the reality of heat and heatstroke among Florida’s workers. Indeed, hundreds of workers die across the U.S. from heat exposure each year. The legislation also forbids the posting of educational materials to help workers protect themselves from the heat. NCL has […]