South Florida activists will hold a “water fast” on Tuesday to urge Miami−Dade commissioners to pass an ordinance to protect almost 100,000 people required to work outdoors during record high temperatures.
The activists from WeCount! plan a press conference Tuesday the Government Center in downtown Miami to call attention to the need for employers in the state’s biggest county to give workers access to clean drinking water and shaded rest breaks. They plan to not drink water from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in solidarity with outdoor workers.
If passed by Miami−Dade commissioners, the measure would be the first of its kind nationwide to offer such worker protections, say the activists. The commission is scheduled to vote on the ordinance in two weeks, Tuesday, Oct . 17.
READ MORE: Next-generation building materials can keep South Florida homes cool and cut energy costs
County commissioners unanimously passed the ordinance on its first reading last July. Last month, the county’s community health committee approved it.
The proposal calls for a three-tiered system of protecting outdoor workers from extreme heat conditions. First, the proposed ordinance would grant outdoor workers the right to a ten-minute rest in the shade for every two hours worked when the heat index rises above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
The commission’s vote over the summer followed a series of stories published in July by the Miami Herald, "Sizzling South Florida," that documented the deadly consequences of extreme heat caused by climate change on those working outdoors and the overall South Florida economy.
WeCount! is a Homestead-based nonprofit organization advocating for agricultural, domestic and construction workers.
Copyright 2023 WLRN 91.3 FM. To see more, visit WLRN 91.3 FM. 9(MDAyNDY5ODMwMDEyMjg3NjMzMTE1ZjE2MA001))
