From Heatwaves to Labour Disputes

We are looking back on one of the hottest summers on record. What stands out are not only the increase in global weather extremes, but also images of tourists fleeing flames in holiday destinations “on our doorstep” – with drastic consequences for tourism in southern Europe. While holidaymakers were able to be evacuated or choose alternative travel destinations, locals have to live with the heat and continue to cope with their everyday lives  – and with temperatures around 40 degrees, this can be life-threatening.

Heat deaths at work: Trade unions in Italy and Greece are calling for action

Working in the heat in the Mediterranean region is rarely a question of life and death. This summer, however, several workers died as a result of high temperatures, including a northern Italian baker in his 60s, a 44-year-old road worker in Milan and two volunteers in Greece. The victims of the latest heat records have caught the attention of Italian and Greek unions, who are calling on employers to take immediate action to protect workers in vulnerable sectors. This includes not only tourism and construction, but also industries like forestry, agriculture, care work, health and education. Now the unions are threatening a strike and work stoppage and have achieved some limited success – several cultural institutions closed down in especially hot weather and working hours in agricultural sector were adjusted.

German unions lack ambition for climate adaptation

When politicians and employers do not guarantee fair working conditions, it makes sense to turn towards worker advocavcy organisations, i.e. unions such as IGMetall, Marburger Bund or ver.di. These organisations however, have been suspiciously quiet when it comes to climate adaptation. Although there are a few pieces of advice for employees on how to deal with heat, the unions focus on the worker’s individual responsibility to protect themselves (i.e. make sure they keep cool). One-size-fits-all solutions like this do not do justice to the heterogeneity of the sectors affected and the challenges of climate change. Put another way, they do not achieve an appropriate level of ambition given the pressures that a changing climate place on labour. There is little evidence of a concrete connection to the climate crisis, let alone clear (political) positioning, broad information campaigns or industry-specific publications. Why trade unions are so hesitant in the face of the increasing labour crisis is hard to understand. Instead of reacting to individual extreme events, it is long past time to put the issue of climate adaptation on the agenda on a permanent, interdisciplinary basis.  

The climate crisis is a risk for the world of work and life

In order to develop a powerful agenda, we must consider all relevant climate change impacts, not just heat. The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) identifies five central risk factors for working people: heat; solar UV radiation; infectious diseases; plant and animal allergens and toxins; and extreme weather events. The health effects of prolonged heat exposure in particular have been scientifically proven in detail. Heat can cause serious damage to organs, which can lead to chronic illnesses and, in the worst case scenarios, acute heat stroke, which can result in death. Also relevant to labour are the effects of extreme weather and heat on the mental health of employees – these include increased absences from work, difficulty concentrating and the risk of accidents.

If we take a broader view of the social environment of employees, the overall social dimension of an “unadapted” working world becomes apparent. If extreme exposure to heat reduces general performance, work ability and mobility, this also indirectly influences people who do not or cannot do wage work, e.g. sick people, pensioners, children, people with disabilities, asylum seekers or homeless people. Anyone who takes longer at work and is also overloaded has less capacity to care for and therefore support these groups – be it in a professional context, such as in nursing or social work, or in domestic care work.  

Not recognising and naming the connections across society potentially reinforces the trend that vulnerable population groups suffer the most from the consequences of the climate crisis. In this way, protecting workers from the consequences of climate change is a question of social justice.

This article first appeared in an abridged and amended version in the Frankfurter Rundschau on 15 September 2023.