Abstract
In early 2020, apparel brands and retailers cancelled USD 40 billion in garment orders with highly adverse consequences for suppliers and workers. Their actions illustrate the power asymmetries in global supply chains and the unequal distribution of costs during crises. The cancellations provoked a tentative collaboration between suppliers and worker rights advocates and an effective “pay up” campaign. Yet, buyers subsequently intensified their squeeze on suppliers with adverse impacts on workers, leading to calls for binding agreements. These dynamics arguments are explored through original survey data, supplier questionnaires, stakeholder interviews, a time-line analysis, and trade data analysis.