Nationwide Week of Action Launches to Demand Heat Protections for U.S. Workers
National COSH and allies mobilize across the U.S. as OSHA begins hearings on historic federal heat safety rule.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Jun 17, 2025
As summer temperatures rise, more than 69 million U.S. workers remain vulnerable to extreme heat with no enforceable federal safeguards. In response, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) and allied worker-led organizations launched a Nationwide Week of Action on June 16 to demand permanent heat protections.
The “Fired Up for Heat Justice” campaign aligns with the opening of a historic public hearing by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on a long-awaited federal heat standard. The campaign includes coordinated actions in cities across the country, amplifying workers’ voices and calling for rules that guarantee access to water, rest, shade, and protection from employer retaliation.
“Workers are not disposable,” said Brittney Jenkins, National COSH’s Worker and Network Organizer for the Southern Region. “We expect construction workers, farmworkers, and delivery drivers to labor under deadly conditions—without even the most basic safeguards. That is unacceptable.”
Freddy Pierre, a National COSH Rising Leader and temp worker, described working in dangerous heat as a daily reality. “We’re the ones building your cities and keeping the economy moving,” said Pierre. “We deserve to work safely and with dignity.”
Jazmin Moreno-Dominguez, organizing manager at Agave Community Threads in Arizona, recalled the moment her father, a longtime construction worker, came home pale and sick from heat exposure. “That moment haunts me—it drives me,” she said. “We don’t need more studies. We need action now.”
Major events are planned nationwide, including:
- Washington, D.C. (June 17) – Worker testimonies at OSHA’s public hearing
- Albuquerque, NM – Heat safety education, June 16
- Detroit, MI – Water distribution, June 16
- Tampa, FL – Juneteenth festival outreach, June 16
- Queens, NY – Community gathering, June 16
- Phoenix, AZ – Public call for standards, June 17
- Trenton, NJ – Rally for NJ Heat Standard Bill, June 17
- Houston, TX – Worker-led demonstration, June 17
- Las Vegas, NV – Evening rally, June 17
- Santa Rosa & Fresno, CA – Farmworker protections, June 16–20
- North Carolina – Statewide call-in day, June 20
- Virginia – Press conference on legislation, June 18
“From Texas to New York, these events aren’t isolated—they’re interconnected,” said Jenkins. “They reflect a rising movement led by workers who are demanding the right to survive a day’s work.”
Call to Action:
National COSH is urging public support for enforceable national heat protection standards. To learn more, participate in events, or act, visit heatjusticenow.org.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.