Action in the time of COVID-19: worker outreach and the way forward

BW, Oct 21 2020

GENEVA – Better Work has been working around the clock to keep up continuous worker outreach across its nine country programmes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

As entire countries shut down as coronavirus infections spiked, Better Work responded via an array of communication pathways to keep a direct line with workers of its affiliated factories: from text and messaging apps to telephone lifelines.

The programme is currently taking stock of its immediate crisis response approach, also adapting the successful methods implemented over the past few months to create future action plans.

“As the disruption began earlier this year, our staff based in country programmes, who know their constituents best, used their creativity and initiative to experiment with ways to reach out and to keep connection with workers,” says Jeff Eisenbraun, Better Work Technical Officer for research and impact.

Most of the world is heavily interconnected thanks to social networking sites and messaging apps —garment workers are no exception. But Better Work soon realized that during the crisis, outreach by phone call suited the fast-changing circumstances well, giving workers a human connection amid the unprecedented situation.

In full: https://betterwork.org/2020/10/21/action-in-the-time-of-covid-19-worker-outreach-and-the-way-forward/