FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - IG Bauen Agrar Umwelt is calling for better protection in extreme weather conditions for people in outdoor professions. Workers in construction, forestry, façade cleaning or agriculture should be able to receive a "climate short-time allowance" all year round, the union proposes.

The model could be the seasonal short-time allowance, which currently only applies for the months of December to March. The employment agency pays at least 60 percent of the net wage for employees who are laid off due to weather conditions until they can return to work. The social benefit has so far been geared towards adverse weather conditions in winter and is intended to prevent construction workers from being laid off during the cold season.

"The climate has changed significantly, so we also need to change the regulations," says IG BAU board member Carsten Burckhardt. As a result of man-made climate change, there are now long periods of heat in the summer, heavy rainfall throughout the year and severe storms, not just in the fall. "It is our duty to protect employees from this!"

The union pointed out that skin cancer is now the second most common occupational disease in construction. If work continues at over 30 degrees despite this, there must be paid breaks and appropriate protective measures./ceb/DP/tih