SPÖ demand:

“Right to heat-free time” for vulnerable occupational groups

Keeping a cool head is not always easy these days.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/vladdeep)

In view of ever longer heatwaves and increasing health risks, the SPÖ is calling for improvements for people at work and in public spaces. Deputy leader Julia Herr is in favor of a "right to a heat-free day" for particularly vulnerable occupational groups.

Offices must be kept below 30 degrees Celsius with a catalog of measures, said Herr as the SPÖ's climate spokesperson at a press conference on Wednesday. She called for a maximum daily working time of eight hours for outdoor activities on hot days and additional paid breaks for system-relevant professions in emergency organizations such as the police. "Respect for working people also means protecting them from the heat."

SPÖ climate spokesperson Julia Herr

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

Water in restaurants should be free of charge
More breaks in cool rooms are needed for "hot workplaces" such as laundries, foundries and kitchens. Tap water should also be free in restaurants. But not just for employees, because: "Nobody should have to beg for a glass of tap water. It must be free in all pubs," says Herr.

More shaded areas in public spaces
In public spaces, additional shade is needed for playgrounds, more non-consumption seating and a general greening offensive. The SPÖ is in favor of shaded waiting areas at every bus stop and train station and, in the medium term, air conditioning on all public transport. Herr particularly emphasized: "Protection from the heat must not depend on your wallet."