this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2023
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Work Reform

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House Bill 2127, which takes effect on Sept. 1, will do away with local rules that require water breaks for construction workers. The cities of Austin and Dallas, for example, require 10-minute breaks every four hours. San Antonio officials had been considering a similar ordinance.

“We are human beings who need respect,” Martínez said. “We really need to be allowed to work without problems, without any barriers … Believe me, we are dying inside those buildings when they take away our water and our [break] time.”

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[–] Mongostein@lemmy.ca 79 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

The law is a ten minute break every four hours?? That’s fucking bullshit already!

Where I live it 15 minutes after 2.5 hours if you’re only working 5 hours or less. 2 hours if you’re you’re there all day, but you get your 30-minute lunch after 4 hours, then a fifteen minute break every two hours worked after that.

[–] masterofn001@lemmy.ca 62 points 1 year ago (9 children)

I worked at a concrete yard in Ontario, Canada for a few years. Breaks due to heat were given based on temps. At one point it was 15 minute breaks with Gatorade provided - every hour.

Americans desperately need to reestablish the proper hierarchy of power.

You have removed child labor laws across a number of states, human rights are basically done, labor has returned to 19th century standards.

So much blood was lost for nothing.

[–] Mongostein@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 year ago

I see the same rhetoric moving in to Canada. It’s disheartening to see our closest friends and allies suffer while the disease causing it tries to creep it’s way in here.

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[–] onionbaggage@lemmy.world 63 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If an employer doesn't allow you a water break in this heat then it's time to leave them without employees.

[–] dangblingus@lemmy.world 33 points 1 year ago

This should be an absolute no brainer of an issue to unionize over.

[–] livedeified@lemmy.world 48 points 1 year ago

so much "prolife" sentiment coming out of Texas! /s

[–] Kodemystic@lemmy.kodemystic.dev 39 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Oh man... what sort of people come up with these laws? It's already bad enough to only have 10 minutes every 4 hours, now they want to take that away too? Wtf is happening.

[–] Zron@lemmy.world 45 points 1 year ago (2 children)

A governor who made his millions off of suing a property owner when a tree fell and broke his back.

Never worked a hard day in his life, let alone worked outside.

Someone should wheel him outside on one of these 100+ degree days and tell him he can’t drink until his 8 hours are over.

[–] PhoenixRising@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

And now medical malpractice awards are capped.. This coming from the state that had "Dr. Death".

[–] GizmoLion@kbin.social 8 points 1 year ago

Have him lay some bricks, water or no, and he can't stop til he's done so for 8 hours.

[–] InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

what sort of people come up with these laws?

People who don't work... and certainly never outside.

[–] Saneless@lemmy.world 36 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If the politicians can do those jobs under those conditions for a week, have at it

The actual benefit would be some state reps would die during the exercise, and well, that's enough

Please make Abbot participate.

[–] Nocuras@lemmy.world 35 points 1 year ago (1 children)

And here I am contemplating what kind of world we live in where people working a regular job can't just get up and go drink as much as they need whenever they need... I mean ok sure don't drop the heavy steel beam you carry with a coworker until you have it in place, but after you finished a task it shouldn't take more than a "I'm going to take a drink" and off you go. Also sure be prepared to face consequences if you don't get anything done.. But it surely can't be more detrimental to your work output to drink for a minute every so often than not drinking at all and getting fatigue etc.

[–] MagicalPanda@lemmy.world 31 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (5 children)

In most parts of the USA most children are taught to ask for things such as water and bathroom breaks at school, up til senior year of highschool. When the kids do not listen they are reprimanded/punished. This leads to brainwashing. Some young adults never do break out of the habit of asking. This leads to situations of dehydration and death.

It's straight up bizarre having a 25 year old man walk up to me(30F) and ask to use the restroom or get a drink of water. Granted I was also brainwashed til about 22. It dawned on me one day it was straight up dumb to ask for water or to use the restroom.

[–] OwenEverbinde@reddthat.com 7 points 1 year ago

Yeah, in modern American schools, the students are the product and billionaires are the customers.

[–] teamevil@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This reminds me of the Chain gang in the Paul Newman movie Cool Hand Luke. They are working on roads in hot Florida weather and have to ask the boss for water or to take their shirt off or basically to do any autonomous function.

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[–] _sideffect@lemmy.world 25 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Wtf is this shit... If you're overheated and dehydrated, stop, drink water.

It's pretty simple

[–] BoopsieBoop@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sure, to a reasonable human, it's simple. But take into consideration terrible bosses and ceos that only care about profits and you get businesses that threaten you if you sit for 5 minutes.

[–] _sideffect@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

It's why they want people to stay poor as well, because then you can't leave the job or strike without pay, as you can't afford it, so you have to keep working and hope change comes through laws (which if it ever does, it takes years)

[–] SighBapanada@lemmy.ca 23 points 1 year ago (1 children)

"we are dying"

Oh please, stop being dramatic

/s

[–] Noetic97@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

A little death never hurt anyone.

/s

[–] DeltaSix@feddit.de 23 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So how fucked up we want to make everything for the backbone-industry everyone is needing:

US: Yes

Seriously, I can't even understand how people allow this to happen in your own country. It would be political suicide to try this in any place of Germany.

[–] Crismus@lemmy.fmhy.ml 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Individual votes don't count nearly as much as corporate cash.

This is the epitome of late stage capitalism in the US.

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[–] Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 23 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So like what does it take for people to revolt? are they just going to stand idly by while their fellows actually die, waiting for their own turn to stroke out from overworking and dehydration?

[–] yata@sh.itjust.works 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

As long as it owns the libs, a lot of Americans, and in particular Texans, will very happily do that.

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[–] ThrowawayPermanente@sh.itjust.works 22 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I get where they're coming from with this, but if I'm out doing physical labor in the hot sun I need water like ever 20 minutes. Four hours is an eternity.

[–] RidcullyTheBrown@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

I get where they’re coming from with this

I really don't. What is the point of this law?

It's the break part, not the water part. I doubt they're not allowed to carry water bottles, but they need a chance to refill.

[–] BuckRowdy@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Greg Abbott is a little piss baby.

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[–] postmateDumbass@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

Texas is learning Qatari World Cup stadium construction methods

[–] Hazdaz@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago (2 children)

What is the LeopardAteMyFace equivalent for Lemmy? Because this belongs there.

Guaranteed that the same people complaining about this water break issue now are also people who in the last election either couldn't be bothered to go vote, or voted for that clown Abbott. You vote for fascists, you get fascist policies.

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[–] Something_Complex@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

And yet all the votes except for ONE came from the Republican party.....

[–] Waraugh@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 1 year ago

It’s crazy to me that anyone could sit on their ass in AC all day and even consider speaking to take water breaks away from construction workers. I went in figuring they got 10 minutes per hour and it’s only 10 minutes per four hours?! Fuck that noise, they need more time to rest and hydrate. What the fuck is wrong with people.

[–] TwoGems@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)
[–] electrogamerman@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Bro, americans are slaves. I thought they abolished slavery.

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