Rep. Greg Casar stands firm after being mocked for his nearly nine-hour thirst strike
Heather Hunter
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Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) continued his fight on Thursday, following his thirst and hunger strike for nearly nine hours at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, to protest the lack of mandated heat-related worker protections, including water and rest breaks, in Texas.
“Nearly 40% of [Texas] construction workers report not getting water breaks at work. More people get killed on the job in [Texas] than any other state. If [Gov. Greg] Abbott wants to put profits over people, then it’s up to all of us to stop him,” Casar said.
https://twitter.com/GregCasar/status/1684578248091660289
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The Texas lawmaker began a “thirst strike” on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to protest the lack of mandatory water breaks for people working in the heat and to call for federal protections for those who work in hot temperatures.
“I’m on thirst strike today because families across Texas and across America deserve dignity on the job,” Casar said. “But Greg Abbott doesn’t think so. During this heat wave, the governor just signed a law taking away your right to a water break at work. It’s an outrageous attack on Texans — and threatens all workers. The Biden administration must step in, override Abbott, and ensure heat protections for all Americans in all industries. Our government should work for working people, not for greedy corporations that exploit their workers and fill Abbott’s campaign coffers.”
The former Austin City councilman blasted Abbott for signing a new law, set to go into effect on Sept. 1, that would prohibit cities and counties from implementing certain workplace protections.
In another social media post on Thursday, Casar told the story of Texas worker Roendy Granillo, who died from heat stroke in 2015 “while working on a construction site,” but suggested he would be alive if he “just had a water break.”
https://twitter.com/GregCasar/status/1684541049308340226
Casar is pressuring the Biden administration in a letter signed by more than 110 Democrats to create a federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration heat standard to help workers.
Fellow members of the “Squad” showed their support for Casar, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), and Ilhan Omar (D-MN).
“In the wealthiest country in the history of the world, workers shouldn’t be dying from heat-related illnesses. Proud to join this effort led by @GregCasar,” Omar said.
Social media mocked the congressman’s staged thirst strike, which showed visuals of him taking his last drink and livestreaming his medical checkups.
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“Congrats on … existing between early lunch and late dinner,” CNN commentator Scott Jennings said.
“Libs get participation trophies for literally skipping breakfast,” the Spectator reporter Matthew Foldi wrote.