- Last month, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law a law repealing the statewide water shut off requirement.
- Construction workers and their allies are now protesting the move, calling it a “killer law.”
- The legislation coincided with a severe summer heat wave. Some areas of Texas arrival 110 degrees Fahrenheit every day.
Houston workers Friday protested a statewide law that would eliminate water shutoff requirements for construction companies across Texas.
The law was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in June and is expected to go into effect on September 1. It will repeal several local ordinances that proponents say hurt businesses, and specifically target ordinances that set minimum break requirements for employers, such as mandating water breaks. , According to the Texas Tribune.
As a result, construction workers and their allies call the law a “killer law.” The Texas Tribune reported.
“We need to be allowed to work without any problems, without any barriers,” Texas construction worker Luz Martinez, who was at the protest, told the Texas Tribune. rice field. “Believe me, we’re going to die inside the building with the water and our lives taken away. [break] time. “
Just three days after Mr. Abbott signed the bill into law, a 46-year-old construction worker named Felipe Pascual died in Houston of heat stroke. This is reported by the local ABC news station. Workers protesting in Houston on Friday placed work boots on the ground in front of the demonstration to honor Pascual, The Texas Tribune reported.
Earlier this month, Houston city officials sued the state for an injunction against the law, saying it weakens the city’s ability to self-government. The Texas Tribune reported.
The new law coincided with a severe summer heat wave. Some areas of Texas arrival It’s 110 degrees Fahrenheit every day, reports CNN.
Texas has had 42 heat-related workplace deaths since 2011, the most of any state. According to the Texas Tribune. About 25 of them have died in the past six years, according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration data. show. However, given that exposure to heat can cause exacerbation of other underlying conditions, which can lead to misclassification of heat-related deaths, this figure could be even higher. The New York Times reported.