PSI affiliates from across South Asia adopted a resolution on the severe heatwaves inflicting the region, particularly  Pakistan and India. In Northern India and in Pakistan, workers have endured temperatures exceeding 50c making work a serious health and safety risk. Workers have been forced to continue work, often with deadly consequences.

The resolution recognises that workers must have the right to "Stop Work" when temperatures exceed safe levels, and that heat should be recognised as an occupational hazard. Workers must enjoy the right to refuse work without any negative impacts on their wages and benefits.  Workers should be provided with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to shield them from extreme heat. Governments and employers must ensure that proper shade, water, and resting places are available for workers.

Governments and employers also have clear obligations and a duty of care to address the root cause of these ongoing heatwaves - the climate crisis. These heatwaves provide another illustration that the climate crisis impacts most on people who have contributed the least to the crisis.

Community Health Workers in the region, for example, are amongst the lowest paid workers in the world. Their carbon footprint is almost non existent. Yet, demands on CHWs increase during heatwaves. Similarly, sanitation workers, municipal workers and electricity workers face increased demands during heatwaves.

Affiliates resolved to campaign for Hot Work, Stop Work policies across the region.

Read the resolution here.