Milan rider heat ban fuels wider Italian worker safety protests

The city of Milan has introduced an ordinance that suspends the allocation of delivery orders to bike‑couriers between 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. during days of extreme heat. Unions say the measure protects health but threatens the earnings of thousands of riders, many of whom lack social‑security buffers. They are calling for income‑support mechanisms and for the municipality to negotiate a broader safety framework.

Similar heat‑related labour grievances are emerging elsewhere in Italy. In Brescia, municipal employees have sent an ultimatum to the mayor demanding air‑conditioning and flexible hours as office temperatures become intolerable. At the Teksid aluminium plant in Carmagnola, unions report shutdowns, unsafe working conditions, equipment failures and heat‑induced health risks, urging immediate managerial changes and better ventilation. These incidents illustrate a growing wave of worker protests over heat safety across the country.