NEWS: Congressman Greg Casar and Assistant Secretary of Labor Parker Meet with Texas Workers Amid Record Heat
AUSTIN, Texas – On Thursday, Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas) and Doug Parker, Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), met for a Labor Town Hall to talk with workers impacted by the extreme heat in Texas and what protections are needed.
“Working shouldn’t be a death sentence — but with extreme heat that’s only getting worse, the federal government must step in to protect workers,” said Congressman Casar (D-Texas). “Greg Abbott can try to take rest breaks away from Texas workers, but together with the Biden Administration, we’re fighting back and will deliver protections for all Americans on the job.”
“Knowingly putting workers at risk from the well-known hazards of extreme heat is irresponsible and wrong. Intense heat can be harmful to workers both indoors and outdoors, and OSHA wants to ensure that all workers and employers have the tools to prevent heat-related illnesses and injuries. Employers and supervisors must meet their legal and moral obligations to protect workers' fundamental rights, ensuring they do not risk their lives for a paycheck. Workers deserve the same confidence of returning home safely at the end of their shift as those who employ them,” said Assistant Secretary for OSHA Doug Parker.
Despite Texas Governor Greg Abbott's law banning local protections for rest breaks, every employee has the right to a safe workplace under federal law. As extreme heat becomes more prevalent under the climate crisis, Casar and the Biden Administration are working with businesses, labor leaders, and working Americans to secure additional workplace protections.
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Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas’s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio. A labor organizer and son of Mexican immigrants, Casar serves as the Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 118th Congress. He also serves on the Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on Agriculture.
