The ‘Do Not Shop’ List - Understanding the #PayUp Movement
Image Courtesy: Vogue
By the end of March, the Pandemic had completely rocked the garment industry. With multiple brands canceling or refusing to pay for orders, an ongoing and updated list has been created to call out brands in the fashion industry for mistreatment of their garment factory workers. The #PayUp Movement keeps a constant watch on brands who are not doing their part, so that we can shop accordingly.
The #PayUp Movement, as it sounds, is about enforcing well-deserved wages for workers, but it is also about working conditions, safety, and well-being. The foundation asks brands to be transparent about what goes on in the factory, including wages and conditions, in order to stay off the list.
If a brand is listed by the #PayUp Movement, it is because they have failed to do a couple of things:
(a) Brands must publicly commit to pay suppliers for orders placed before the pandemic, including those that were cancelled or paused as a result of COVID-19, in full and without asking for discounts.
(b) To be removed from the PayUp Fashion Brand Tracker, brands and retailers must #PayUp in a timely manner, without extending payment terms, unless low-cost financing can be offered. (c) Those emerging from bankruptcy agree to pay for orders placed prior to bankruptcy.
Conditions were already poor for these garment workers in pre-pandemic life, but now 70 million workers in the fashion industry have lost their lives while making face masks for others. Nazma After from the AWAJ Foundation, a foundation dedicated to research, services, and advocacy for industry workers, explained that “people will die of starvation before COVID-19 kills us.” The working conditions themselves and non-livable wages were dangerous already, but the closing of businesses and lack of motivation to pay workers in a pandemic has made conditions even worse.
The list, as of now, includes 20 brands that not only have failed to pay their workers, but also have not made any public acknowledgment of their status nor confirmation to compensate soon.
It may seem like there is not much for us to do from this standpoint, but the most important thing is remember that we wear our values. Where we invest our money when buying a new outfit can make all the difference. It is important to remember that the #PayUp Movement list was created to put pressure on brands, but also for the public to make better choices on where we spend our money and what type of treatment garment workers are receiving from brands.
We can all follow the list and continue to make educated choices.
Strike Out,
Writer: Jackie Elliott
Boca Raton