French union demands sanctions for companies lacking heatwave plans

The CGT union is demanding that companies without heatwave prevention plans face sanctions, denouncing what it calls a "total lack of anticipation" by both public authorities and employers. Sophie Binet, the union's secretary general, stated that workers' lives are being sacrificed for profit and that existing laws are not being applied, even in hospitals.

Binet reported three work-related deaths during the recent heatwave, attributing them to employers failing to protect employees from extreme temperatures. She cited instances of workers toiling in 50°C (122°F) heat without adequate measures like adjusted working hours.

The CGT is advocating for legally defined maximum working temperatures, noting that current labor law lacks such a threshold, despite recommendations from the National Research and Safety Institute (INRS) suggesting 28°C (82.4°F) as a reference for physically demanding work. The union also seeks to empower labor inspectors with the authority to order work stoppages and impose direct sanctions on companies during heatwaves, arguing that the current number of inspectors is insufficient.

Binet criticized the regulatory framework as incomplete and called for stronger enforcement to ensure worker safety during increasingly frequent and severe heat events.