Rep. Greg Casar of Texas is participating in a brief thirst and hunger strike Tuesday to draw attention to the need for a federal workplace heat standard. Casar cited a law signed by Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott last month that prohibits local officials from enacting rules on businesses that supersede state regulations. The Texas Democrat was joined by civil rights activist Dolores Huerta and some House Democrats including House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and Reps. Alexandria OcasioCortez and Maxwell Frost briefly joined the crowd. On Monday more than members of Congress signed a letter to the Department of Labor calling for an Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard as the country grapples with dangerously high temperatures. Urgent action is needed to prevent more deaths the letter states. Heat kills more Americans than any other form of severe weather including flooding hurricanes or extreme cold according to National Weather Service data and scientists have warned theres a growing likelihood that could be the Earths hottest year on record. In Dallas Texas a USPS employee of over years died while on his route in degree heat. In Harrison County Texas a yearold lineman working to restore power died likely from heat exhaustion. We know extreme weather events such as heat waves are becoming more frequent and more dangerous due to climate change. The letter states that urgent action is necessary to prevent even more deaths in the coming years due to extreme heat waves and other weather events like flooding hurricanes and extreme cold. It was organized on the steps of the US Capitol. The Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su who is working hard to get a federal heat standard done. has reached out to the Dept of Labor for comment. A release from Casar’s office said he would go with no water no food and no break until nurses require him to stop. A basic thing like the right to a water break abasic thing like being able to work and know that working is not a death sentence is the baseline of what our democracy should be able to do Casar said Tuesday. He began the strike at a.m. and would go as long as he was physically able. He said Tuesday that he had spoken with Acting Secretary. of LaborJulie Su who has worked hard to getting a federal Heat Standard done. The Department of. Labor has not responded to a request for comment for comment about Casar’s hunger strike. The strike is expected to last until the end of the day on Tuesday. It is not clear if Casar will continue until then or if he will be allowed to go back to work the next day. The hunger strike is being led by the Texas Democratic Party and the Texas Republican Party. The event is being organized by the group WorkersCantWait. The group is dedicated to helping those who are at high risk for heat exposure along with the elderly lowincome families communities of color and those experiencing homelessness. The first day of the hunger strike will be held on July 4th. The second day will be July 5th and the third day is July 6th.
Texas congressman leads thirst and hunger strike to urge heat protections for workers. Texas congressman leads
