Mother of Gabriel Infante, 24, sues employer for $1m, saying construction workers had no protections from extreme heat

  • gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    They’re taking away the workers’rights to get water breaks, not the supervisors’ rights to give them. So, if you’re a happy and compliant little drone who kisses enough ass maybe you’ll get one, and making workers’ feel the need to do things like that is where the real value in this lies for the bosses I think.

    • SmarfDurden@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      You know, before this I really thought access to water was one of the few things conservatives wouldn’t have a problem with. They’re sadists

      • Mirshe@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Those 5 minutes you’re drinking water COULD be spent making money for the company! Think of the bottom line! /s

        That’s literally what this is. I’m sure whoever proposed the bill had a friend who runs a construction or landscaping company complaining that their workers are taking too much time on break because they’re hot.

    • marron12@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      The power dynamic is already heavily skewed in favor of the employer. Especially with construction and landscaping work, the way it tends to go is: workers need the job. The company rules with a pretty strict hand. You don’t like something, there’s the door. So you put up with stuff until you find another job or can’t take it anymore.

      Take away a legal right, and that’s that. The workers and the company both know who has the upper hand. Sure, one person could try to stick up for themselves here and there, but plenty of people don’t because they’re afraid to lose their job. And it usually doesn’t change anything anyway. Even when there are laws to protect employees, companies don’t always follow them.

      I’m talking mostly about non-union jobs there. Union jobs are better, but they’re not free of problems either.

      • ScoobyDoo27@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        And don’t forget in those industries you see a lot of workers who may not be legal so they have to put up with the companies bullshit. It’s not like they can get the law involved even if they wanted to. Companies know this and abuse their workforce heavily because of it.