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Europe's Largest Unions Demand Right to Cancel Work on Days Above 30C

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111–120 of 146 posts

Re: Europe's Largest Unions Demand Right to Cancel Work on Days Above 30C

#112
How countries with wet/hot climate that achieved economic success have solved it?

Because my cynical mind tells me that the only thing it will result in is 1. Extremely low productivity 2. Hiring outside of unions.

Union will push for “union only jobs” and that’s going to result in even less productivity OR robotization of agriculture and construction.

Re: Europe's Largest Unions Demand Right to Cancel Work on Days Above 30C

#113
post #32

I think this whole heat wave crisis has been shocking to the rest of the world to see that apparently Europeans refuse to install AC even in new-build homes and it is causing enormous numbers of deaths. What is the reason for this? Is it just because it's expensive and energy costs are so high? It seems like a basic safety requirement that they are refusing to acknowledge and are now apparently just refusing to go to…

>I think this whole heat wave crisis has been shocking to the rest of the world to see that apparently Europeans refuse to install AC even in new-build homes and it is causing enormous numbers of deaths. What is the reason for this?

Because the Northern Europe didn't historically need it (average summer warm weather was like 75 degrees or less), so it was mostly seen as environmentally unfriendly and more of a stupid US indulgence, like being able-bodied but still going to the supermarket on a motorized wheelchair.

The South that did need it, has already had it for the most part.

Re: Europe's Largest Unions Demand Right to Cancel Work on Days Above 30C

#114
post #32

I think this whole heat wave crisis has been shocking to the rest of the world to see that apparently Europeans refuse to install AC even in new-build homes and it is causing enormous numbers of deaths. What is the reason for this? Is it just because it's expensive and energy costs are so high? It seems like a basic safety requirement that they are refusing to acknowledge and are now apparently just refusing to go to…

Theres no such thing as “Europeans”. Where I live almost 70% has aircon, all new homes have it too or a proper heatpump.

It's kind of similar how there is no such thing as "Americans". Basically every state is as diverse as it's own country!

Re: Europe's Largest Unions Demand Right to Cancel Work on Days Above 30C

#115
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's nothing new. In 2003 there was a huge heatwave and thousands of people died: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_European_heatwave The reason is simple to understand. For the majority of the time the AC would sit idle. Some years AC is not required at all because the summer is mild. It's hard to get people to spend money on things that they don't need most of the time, it's like buying insurance.

Ok but you can use AC in the winter as well, you've an use it only to dry the air in your apartment. So this is not a real argument to me once you know what it can do and how it does it, there is no reason not to have one. Outside it is 25°C but I still run my AC at 22°C and it is super efficient as this is the case where AC excels at efficiency when the diff is small. It is a heat pump, sometimes I would run it when…

>Ok but you can use AC in the winter as well

You can, but they already had a solution for winter.

Re: Europe's Largest Unions Demand Right to Cancel Work on Days Above 30C

#116
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's mostly about the perception that AC is a band-aid that doesn't just stall fixing the root cause of climate change caused by excessive energy consumption, but actively makes it worse.

Why is this "a perception"? It's true isn't it? I'm going to get AC but the situation is quite worrying.

How is it true? Even if emissions went to 0 tomorrow we'd still have heatwaves in Europe. It'll take at least a century to do carbon sequestration back to pre industrial levels even on a very optimistic timeline. Until that's made a good amount of progress, it's common sense to have AC in the places where the most vulnerable gather. Their homes, public transport, train stations, hospices, hospitals.

Re: Europe's Largest Unions Demand Right to Cancel Work on Days Above 30C

#119
post #89

>The union said employers should take steps to cool down workplaces once temperatures exceed 24C, with workers able to stop working if temperatures reach 30C, or 27C for those doing manual labour or working outdoors. Geneva already has a version of this. You have to stop outside work at 13h00 unless it's necessary, in which case you have to take 45min breaks for every 15 minutes of work. However the threshold isn't 2…

take 45min breaks for every 15 minutes of work i guess you meant the reverse?

No, I literally meant that. It's an alternative to not working at all.

Re: Europe's Largest Unions Demand Right to Cancel Work on Days Above 30C

#120
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your workplace in Florida has an interior temperature of 86F? This is about temperature in the workplace, not outside temperatures. Most remotely modern interior spaces in Florida are going to be air conditioned so this is already not a problem in Florida.

> This is about temperature in the workplace, not outside temperatures According to the article, the 30C threshold is for "more demanding jobs in sectors like agriculture and construction", which generally take place outdoors

Plenty of construction work takes place indoors as well. That said, the linked article isn't very clear on that aspect. It also mentions a minimum temperature of 16C in the UK which outdoors would be quite a lovely day, but rather cold for an office or other indoor workspace.
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