As garment factories stall because of the coronavirus or shutter production lines because of raw material shortages or reduced orders, garment workers come under heavy pressure.

Garment workers earn poverty wages that barely cover their basic needs, let alone tide them over for emergencies or periods of unemployment. Whether temporary or permanent, the economic fallout from these factory closures will have far-reaching consequences for garment workers living in precarious circumstances. If workers are laid off, they have to fight for their dues. Migrant workers, specifically, may face further isolation or xenophobia.

The situation is especially precarious in Cambodia and Myanmar, where tens of thousands of garments workers have lost their jobs in the wake of supply-chain disruptions or production slowdowns. In Cambodia, factories have cut off workers without authorization, leaving many in debt and unable to afford monthly loan repayments. Because many facilities in Myanmar opened within the past five years, and the turnover of workers is significant, many workers will be left with nothing.

The coronavirus pandemic is upending supply chains, roiling financial markets and straining medical infrastructures across the globe. In addition, when factories reopen, deadlines should be reassessed to prevent laborers from working mandatory overtime to make up for delays.