Players take a hydration break during a match at the 2026 North America World Cup. [Getty Images]
Players take a hydration break during a match at the 2026 North America World Cup. [Getty Images]

As record heat grips Europe, labor groups are calling for workers to receive "cooling breaks" during shifts — just like players at the World Cup.

The European Trade Union Confederation, which represents 45 million workers across Europe, urged the EU on Thursday to take action ensuring workers receive adequate rest during summer heat to prevent heat-related accidents, according to AFP.

"The cooling breaks being used at this World Cup are shining a light on the risks that heat poses to workers and the measures needed to keep them safe," ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch said. "Construction workers, fruit pickers and bus drivers will need much longer than three minutes to recover, but it's a good example of how working practices can be adapted to our changing climate."

The ETUC argued that European workers, like the footballers competing at the World Cup, should have a guaranteed right to rest breaks without loss of pay, and called on the European Commission to introduce relevant measures.

The EU currently sets minimum occupational health and safety standards across its 27 member states, but leaves the application of specific rules to each country. On heat waves, the bloc has issued only non-binding guidance recommending that employers allow workers more or flexible rest time to cool down, with no legal obligation to do so.

FIFA has mandated three-minute hydration breaks in each half of World Cup matches to protect players from the intense heat in North America.

The ETUC said workplace accident risks rise by up to 7 percent when temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius and by up to 15 percent above 38 degrees. It added that heat-related workplace fatalities across the EU have been increasing over the past 20 years as global warming accelerates.

Europe scorched by record heat

People collect water at Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Spain, on May 23. [Getty Images]
People collect water at Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Spain, on May 23. [Getty Images]

Meanwhile, record heat waves are already scorching Europe this year.

Italy's National Research Council and other public research bodies warned Thursday that the heat wave could put the health of about 1.5 million workers at risk over the following three days, according to a report by the ANSA news agency citing public institution research.

Rome had the highest number of at-risk workers at 427,000, followed by Milan with 347,000 and Naples with 133,000.

At least five people have died in Italy so far as a result of the heat wave.

Reuters reported Wednesday, citing French authorities, that at least 48 people had died in France in heat-related incidents, including drownings.

In Spain, an estimated 212 people died from heat-related causes over four days of intense heat, AFP reported.

Spain's mortality monitoring system, known as MoMo, estimated 212 excess deaths during the period from June 21 through June 24, when temperatures peaked. The figure is calculated by comparing recorded daily death statistics against expected levels and analyzing external factors such as weather events and epidemics to estimate how many more people died than usual during a given period.

The 212 excess deaths surpassed the toll recorded during the same period last year, when 98 people died amid similarly intense heat.

Other major European countries, including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Belgium, have also been taking steps to respond to the heat wave.


yul@heraldcorp.com