Hydration breaks should apply to all workers, says EU labour body

Economy climate crisisTop Newstrade unionsworkers' rights Hydration breaks should apply to all workers, says EU labour body Cristiano Ronaldo Hydration Break Relevant News Hydration breaks should apply to all workers, says EU labour body 26 June 2026 Cyprus presidency closes with launch of landmark EU island and coastal strategies 26 June 2026 Forced into marriage at 17, subjected to FGM — and still denied refugee status in Cyprus 26 June 2026 Angelos Angelodimou 26 June 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber The European Trade Union Confederation has called on employers across the EU to introduce mandatory hydration breaks for workers exposed to high temperatures, using cooling breaks introduced at this year’s World Cup as a benchmark, and urged the European Commission to ensure employers work with trade unions to put the measures in place. The call comes as Europe endures its second severe heatwave in two months. A first wave struck in late May; a second, more intense one began on June 17 and has since turned deadly. France’s national meteorological agency Météo-France reported that June 23 was the hottest day recorded in the country since measurements began in 1947, with more than half of mainland France placed under a red heat alert. In Spain, a public health monitoring institute linked the heatwave to an estimated 212 deaths between Sunday and Wednesday. The World Health Organization has described the event as a health emergency, estimating that heat has killed roughly 200,000 people across Europe over the past four years. The UK Met Office recorded the country’s hottest ever June temperature on Thursday, with 36.4°C measured in Somerset. In a statement issued on Thursday, the ETUC said employers should take inspiration from the cooling breaks made compulsory for the first time at a World Cup this year and cooperate with trade unions to give all workers the right to breaks without loss of pay, as well as access to water, shade and toilet facilities, as part of a package of protections required for worker safety during high temperatures. The confederation said the breaks should be significantly longer than the three minutes offered to footballers. The ETUC urged the European Commission to ensure employers work with trade unions to implement what it described as common-sense measures. The call comes ahead of an ETUC seminar on workplace temperatures and climate change to be held in Palermo, Italy, with the participation of ministers and academics. The seminar will consider data showing that heat-related deaths in EU workplaces have risen by 42 per cent since 2000, the fastest increase of any region in the world, and that the number of workers exposed to heatwaves on the job has grown by 60 per cent over the past 20 years. Further figures show that 47 per cent of workers reported feeling excessively hot at work, yet only 15 per cent said protective measures had been taken. When temperatures exceed 30°C, the risk of workplace accidents rises by between five and seven per cent; above 38°C, accidents become between ten and 15 per cent more likely. The ETUC said the European Commission issued guidance to employers on the issue in 2023, but research it cited found that employers had shown reluctance to adopt preventive measures and had refused to include specific heat provisions in collective labour agreements. This, the confederation said, contributed to a series of preventable deaths last summer. The cooling breaks at this year’s World Cup have proved contentious. FIFA says the measure is designed to protect player welfare given high temperatures in some host cities. Some players and coaches have publicly complained that the breaks disrupt the flow and rhythm of matches, turn football into a four-period sport and effectively provide broadcasters with additional advertising slots. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Cyprus presidency closes with launch of landmark EU island and coastal strategies Forced into marriage at 17, subjected to FGM — and still denied refugee status in Cyprus Cyprus rugby: why investment is needed to build on record-breaking start Cyprus gets its first homegrown social media platform Lars Ebert: A compass is only valuable if we start walking Cyprus weather: 37°C inland on Friday with mountain showers possible and fog risk overnight Overnight pharmacies on Thursday, June 25 Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.