Extreme heat continues to be a major concern throughout this year’s World Cup, and organizers of the tournament have built hydration breaks into games designed to help players stay safe. And some stadiums have air conditioning. But that doesn’t help all the people selling concessions, cleaning the stadium, or working security or parking lots outside.
Lucia Gambino of the workers’ rights group Sur Legal Collaborative, which is offering shade, water, electrolytes, cooling towels, and other supplies and resources to stadium workers in Atlanta, said she’s seen people “visibly affected by the heat,” red in the face and reporting a lack of access to water or shade. “It’s just a little bit ironic that FIFA is recognizing that the athletes need water, shade, and breaks to stay safe and to be able to play, but we don’t see that recognized for the workers as well,” Gambino said.
Several World Cup host cities fell under the heat dome that settled over eastern North America last week, with brutally hot tempe... Read more
