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By
Carlin Carr

The world’s garbage workers are on the frontlines of the pandemic, and their work has become increasingly risky as they keep cities clean. For informal waste pickers, these challenges are even greater. They often operate without protective equipment and sort through materials by hand as they recover and recycle people’s discards, which can be everything from plastic wrap to milk cartons to dangerous medical waste. Coronavirus germs, as we now know, can live on any of these surfaces, sometimes for days. 

Las personas trabajadoras en la parte inferior de la cadena de suministro textil (trabajadoras subcontratadas, en su mayoría mujeres, que cosen desde sus hogares para algunas de las principales marcas, a menudo a cambio de centavos) son las más vulnerables y a quienes se las olvida más fácilmente. En el marco de la crisis de la COVID-19 han quedado devastadas por la falta de salario y la pérdida de pagos por trabajos ya realizados. Dado que las marcas no se están haciendo responsables, quedan abandonadas a su propia suerte.
Workers at the bottom of the garment supply chain — subcontracted homeworkers, mostly women, who stitch from homes for some of the leading brands, often for pennies — are the most vulnerable and easily forgotten workers. In this COVID-19 crisis, they have been devastated by a lack of wages and lost payments for work. Without brands taking responsibility, they are now left to fend for themselves.
Les travailleuse·eur·s au bas de la chaîne d'approvisionnement du vêtement – des travailleuses sous-traitantes à domicile, notamment des femmes qui cousent à la maison pour certaines des plus grandes marques, souvent pour quelques centimes – sont les plus vulnérables et facilement oubliées. Dans cette crise de la COVID-19, elles ont été ravagées par le manque de salaires et la perte de paiements pour des travaux déjà réalisés. Tant que les marques n'assument pas leurs responsabilités, elles sont laissées à elles-mêmes.
By
Carlin Carr
The health crisis and related lockdowns have made accessing food a challenge for many. While grocery store workers have been deemed essential workers in many places, research shows the poorest and most vulnerable communities often rely on informal food systems for food. In this interview, WIEGO's street vendors expert, Caroline Skinner, discusses the state of street vending during COVID-19.