WITHOUT SHADE, WITHOUT REST

Logline: For over 30 years, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers has transformed Florida's exploitative agricultural industry, but in the wake of the hottest year on record, the CIW’s efforts to ensure heat-related protections for farm workers face an uncertain future as lawmakers in Florida seek to ban them.

Without Shade, Without Rest explores the urgent need for heat protection for outdoor workers amidst record-breaking temperatures and political challenges.

The film begins with the story of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), a transformative labor rights organization from Immokalee, Florida. CIW developed the Fair Food Program, which eradicated exploitation and abuse within the food industry supply chain, revolutionizing worker protections in the face of climate change-driven heat waves.

The film follows the Fair Food Education Team as they visit fields to educate workers about their rights and heat safety protocols.

The narrative then shifts to Miami, where WeCount’s 'Que Calor' campaign fought for local heat protection laws. However, two recent bills passed through the state legislature, aiming to eliminate all requirements for employers to safeguard workers from extreme heat.

These bills were modeled after similar legislation passed in Texas, which labor activists dubbed the “Death Star Bill.” As these laws take effect in the Sunshine State, more than half a million outdoor workers will be impacted.

Republican proponents of the bill argue that it simplifies a patchwork of regulations. Senator Dennis Bailey, a Republican from Orange County, opposed heat regulations, stating, “I don’t think we need a nanny government standing over every person who might get too hot today.”

As temperatures continue to reach record highs and heat-related deaths rise, Without Shade, Without Rest underscores the growing need for effective protections for outdoor workers.