Sweating it Out: The Left Wants to Extend Workplace Heat Breaks
The progressive faction advocates for job growth enhancement.
In the scorching heat of climate change, the Left Party wants to give workers a break. According to party leader Jan van Aken, sweaty activities like working in an overheated office or under the hot sun should be eased with an extended ten-minute break every hour in offices or outdoors when temperatures hit 26 degrees Celsius.
Van Aken argues that the climate crisis has become a social one, with workers facing health risks caused by excessive heat. He believes that no one can concentrate or work effectively in an office at 30 degrees Celsius and above. Heat stress can lead to health problems, he says, and this isn't limited to physical labor outdoors; it affects office workers too.
The Left's proposal also demands the immediate tightening of the Workplace Ordinance by July 2025. This tightening includes mandatory additional breaks, the right to sufficient water and sun protection, the right to work from home, and a 25 percent reduction in full-time hours for temperatures above 26 degrees Celsius. For temperatures above 30 degrees, working hours should be reduced by 50 percent, with a ten-minute break every half hour, and fans should be set up at workplaces.
The Left Party's plan also includes providing free sunscreen dispensers at train stations and increasing water dispensers in cities.
politics
Policing Party Politics: The Palestinian Shirt Saga Continues
While the Left is pushing for heat protection, other parties are busy dealing with internal political squabbles. The recent controversy over a Palestinian shirt worn by Bundestag president Thierse has caused a stir, with the Left's Jan van Aken defending Thierse's actions.
Unions and AfD Reject the Heat Break Demand
The Union rejected the heat break demand, stating that Germany already has a strong and proven work safety system. Union spokesman Marc Biadacz told the World that the Left's initiative is "utopian and economically hardly feasible" and would particularly affect crafts, care workers, and the public sector.
The AfD also rejected the left's proposal, arguing that the state should not dictate to companies how to behave but should trust them to take necessary measures for their employees' benefit.
Greens Support Adapted Working Time Regulations
The Greens, on the other hand, backed the idea of adapted working time regulations, emphasizing the increased strain on construction sites and the increased risk of health strain and skin cancer for outdoor workers like construction workers, garbage collectors, and window cleaners in the heat.
Current Regulations
Currently, a room temperature of up to 26 degrees Celsius is considered tolerable. If temperatures rise above this limit, employers must check if the health of individual employees is being endangered by the heat. If temperatures reach 30 degrees, employers must take action according to recommendations, such as using sun shields on windows, providing drinks, or allowing more frequent breaks. A dress code requiring suits and ties should be relaxed. Above an indoor temperature of over 35 degrees, the room is no longer suitable for work. Then, the employee has the right to refuse to work there, and is entitled to longer cooling breaks or a different room.
- The Left Party's proposal for extended workplace breaks in high heat is part of a wider policy agenda, extending to areas such as climate-change, environmental-science, policy-and-legislation, and health-and-wellness.
- In a separate political drama, the Palestinian shirt worn by Bundestag president Thierse has sparked internal conflicts among various parties, involving the left, Unions, AfD, and Greens in the debate on party politics.
- While the Left advocates for tightening the Workplace Ordinance, the Union and AfD have expressed rejection of the heat break demand, criticizing it as economically unfeasible and potentially detrimental to certain sectors like crafts, care workers, and the public sector.
- The Greens, on the contrary, have lent their support to the idea of adapted working time regulations, recognizing the increased strain on outdoor workers like construction workers, garbage collectors, and window cleaners during the heat, and the risk of health strain and skin cancer that comes with it.
