Resumen
A principios de 2020, marcas de ropa y minoristas cancelaron pedidos por valor de 40 000 millones de dólares de los Estados Unidos, con consecuencias drásticas para proveedores y trabajadores. Con datos de encuestas originales, cuestionarios a proveedores, entrevistas y análisis cronológico y de datos comerciales se exploran las asimetrías de poder y la distribución de los costes de las crisis en las cadenas mundiales de suministro. Se observa un menor poder de los compradores, en parte por campañas de colaboración entre proveedores y trabajadores como #PayUp, pero los compradores siguen presionando a los proveedores, en detrimento de los trabajadores. Se recomiendan acuerdos vinculantes.
Palabras clave: cadenas mundiales de suministro, COVID‐19, derechos de los trabajadores, Bangladesh, proveedores, prendas de vestir, sector de la confección
El autor desea expresar su agradecimiento a Luis Mendoza por su ayuda en la investigación. El presente artículo se basa en dos breves proyectos de investigación del autor: «¿Abandoned? The Impact of Covid‐19 on Workers and Businesses at the Bottom of Global Garment Supply Chains» (Anner 2020a) y «Leveraging Desperation: Apparel Brands' Purchasing Practices during Covid‐19» (Anner 2020b). El autor agradece a Scott Nova, Liana Foxvog y Tara Mathur sus valiosos comentarios y aportaciones a estos proyectos de investigación.
La responsabilidad de las opiniones expresadas en los artículos solo incumbe a sus autores, y su publicación en la Revista Internacional del Trabajo no significa que la OIT las suscriba.
Artículo original: «Power relations in global supply chains and the unequal distribution of costs during crises: Abandoning garment suppliers and workers during the COVID‐19 pandemic». International Labour Review 161 (1). Traducción de Pedro Tena. Traducido también al francés en Revue internationale du Travail 161 (1).
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