fever, they have a cold, but they start hiding it because they fear that they may lose their job if they don't turn up,” Abiramy said. “They take Panadol [a paracetamol], they take vitamin C, just to pass through the temperature check. Because the factories made the rule that if you don't show up to the work – no money. If you don't show up to work for a month, you lose your job, even if you are a permanent sta … They don't have any other means of income and they’ve worked without overtime payments for months.” As the vast wealth of the fashion industry becomes further concentrated among its top corporations, the pro t model has not only pushed the economic pain of the pandemic onto the most vulnerable people in supply chains (most of whom are women) – it has also pushed the social and personal costs of the virus onto the same people. “We need a new way of thinking,” said Dominique Muller at Labour Behind The Label. “One that puts responsibility for workers rmly on the brands so they can no longer be excused from the continued suppression of workers. One that gives value to the workers making those clothes and one where governments around the world have legislation in place to curtail exploitation, hold companies accountable and ensure remediation of abuses.” Share this