#PayUp Movement

It is no secret that popular retailers and brands have not fairly compensated their workers for working in terrible working conditions. However, because of the #PayUp movement, over 17 brands have paid backorders to outsourced factory workers. Petitions are extremely effective and this movement is no different, popular stores like Zara, H&M, and Adidas have paid their workers in countries like Bangladesh. Although we should not be applauding them for doing the bare minimum, with world-renowned stores like these, it pushes the movement in the right direction. However, it comes as a surprise that companies like Forever 21 and Walmart have multi-billion dollar revenues yet do not pay their workers.

For brands to be removed from the #PayUp unpaid list, they must abide by paying suppliers in full for orders disrupted by Coronavirus promptly. As for the 17 brands that paid back their workers, they totaled over $600 million in Bangladesh alone.

The reality of the situation is that companies originally decide to mass-produce outside of the United States to avoid paying workers minimum wage and to exploit underprivileged areas of the world. The low wages do not cover the necessities of a worker let alone their family. With the lack of a proper work environment, workers are at a higher risk for the Coronavirus and because of the lack of health benefits, they have no way to pay for their medical bills. With the lack of proper pay, workers are destined to experience starvation, destitution, and various other life conflicts.

The dozens of companies that have not paid their workers whether they are American based or overseas, workers are now facing major financial and health problems. From being forced to live on the streets to unpaid work, garment workers are being hit especially hard in the wake of Coronavirus.

In the era of social media, Kylie Cosmetics is the latest company to be found taking advantage of workers in Bangladesh. News surfaced that she has not paid her workers who are working during the virus outbreak. While Kylie Jenner can buy multi-million dollar mansions, she refuses to pay her Bangladeshi employees. Sweatshops are dominated by women and are paid little while the products they produce are high end and make the rich richer. Likewise, Shein is also under heat for the exploitation of workers. Companies like these are contributing to the high poverty levels and risk the health of their workers. At the end of the day, the activism these companies do display is performative. When the time comes to act on their displayed values, celebrities like Kylie and multi-million dollar fashion industries fail to fulfill their promises.

The dozens of companies that are trying to silence the voices of activists calling for immediate action have been noted. They can delete comments on their posts and refrain from commenting but those who want to be on the right side of history will elicit their voices by utilizing their platform.

Down below is a petition for the #PayUp movement, please take a moment to sign and share the link with others:

https://www.change.org/p/unless-gap-primark-c-a-payup-millions-of-garment-makers-will-go-hungry?signed=true.