(Washington, D.C.) – With over 69 million U.S. workers at risk from extreme heat this summer and no federal rule currently in place to protect them, National COSH and worker-led organizations across the country are launching a Nationwide Week of Action beginning June 16th. The initiative, part of the “Fired Up for Heat Justice” campaign, coincides with the start of OSHA’s public hearing on a long-overdue federal heat standard.

Throughout the week, community leaders and worker advocates will mobilize in Washington, D.C. and across the country—from Arizona to New Jersey—to demand permanent, enforceable protections that guarantee access to water, rest, shade, and protection from retaliation.

“Workers are not disposable,” said Brittney Jenkins, Worker and Network Organizer and Southern Region Coordinator for National COSH. “We expect construction workers, farmworkers, and delivery drivers to do their jobs in deadly conditions—without basic safeguards. That is unacceptable. National COSH is fired up and ready to fight for real, enforceable protections that save lives.”

Voices from the Frontlines

Freddy Pierre, a National COSH Rising Leader and community organizer with Beyond the Bars, knows firsthand the brutal reality of working in extreme heat:
“Temp workers like me are often invisible, but we’re the ones building your cities and keeping the economy moving,” said Pierre. “We deserve basic heat protections—like water, rest, and shade—so we can work safely and with dignity.”

Jazmin Moreno-Dominguez, organizing manager at Agave Community Threads and member of the Arizona Heat Standards Coalition, brings a deeply personal perspective:
“We expect workers to do their jobs under the most dangerous conditions imaginable. Now we are asking our government to do theirs—by enacting permanent, enforceable heat protections so every worker can come home safe,” said Moreno-Dominguez. “My father has worked in construction for 30 years. One day, I watched him come home sick and ghostly pale from heat exposure. That moment haunts me—it drives me. We don’t need more studies. We need action now.”

National Action
Washington, D.C. – June 17, 2025
Worker leaders will testify at OSHA’s public hearing in a central action in the nation’s capital

Local Events Across the Country:

• Albuquerque, NM (Wells Park) – June 16, 2–5 PM
  Heat safety education and advocacy by Healthy Climate New Mexico
• Detroit, MI – June 16, lunchtime (exact time TBD)
  Water distribution & call for strong protections by Blue Green Alliance Michigan
• Tampa, FL – June 16, 1–7 PM
  Community heat-stress education at a Juneteenth festival via Florida Student Power Network
• New York, NY 16 de junio, 8:45AM
             Jackson Heights, Queens
• Phoenix, AZ – June 17, 9:30 AM
  Public action calling for heat injury standard by Arizona Heat Standards Coalition
• Trenton, NJ – June 17, 10 AM
  Rally urging passage of NJ Heat Standard Bill by Make the Road NJ
• Houston, TX – June 17, 1:30 PM
  Worker-led demonstration via Workers Defense Project
• Las Vegas, NV – June 17, 6 PM
  Community rally led by Make the Road Nevada
• Santa Rosa, CA – Week of June 16 (exact time TBD)
  Ag work protections awareness by Legal Aid at Work & Raíces Collective
• Fresno, CA – June 20, 11 AM
  Community mobilization by Valley FWD & FMTK Central Labor Council
• North Carolina – June 20 (all day)
  Statewide call-in day led by El Futuro Es Nuestro to press NC Labor Commissioner
• Virginia – June 18, 11 AM
  Press conference for state heat-stress legislation by Legal Aid Justice Center & Blue Green Alliance
   

“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 urges all stakeholders—including policymakers, community leaders, and the general public—to support the development and implementation of strong national heat protection standards. Visit heatjusticenow.org for more information on the campaign, local events, and how to take action.

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About National COSH
The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) is a network of worker safety organizations dedicated to empowering workers and ensuring safe workplaces through advocacy, research, and education.

ABOUT ORGANIZING RESILIENCE
Housed at the Amalgamated Foundation, Organizing Resilience is an initiative that supports advocates, the philanthropic community, and government leaders responding to both the humanitarian and political crises that unfold during and after moments of disaster. Visit us at organizingresilience.org