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Global value chains for medical gloves during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Confronting forced labour through public procurement and crisis.

Authors :
Hughes, Alex
Brown, James A.
Trueba, Mei
Trautrims, Alexander
Bostock, Ben
Day, Emily
Hurst, Rosey
Bhutta, Mahmood F
Source :
Global Networks; Jan2023, Vol. 23 Issue 1, p132-149, 18p, 2 Diagrams, 2 Charts
Publication Year :
2023

Abstract

This paper evaluates ways in which labour issues in global value chains for medical gloves have been affected by, and addressed through, the COVID‐19 pandemic. It focuses on production in Malaysia and supply to the United Kingdom's National Health Service and draws on a large‐scale survey with workers and interviews with UK government officials, suppliers and buyers. Adopting a Global Value Chain (GVC) framework, the paper shows how forced labour endemic in the sector was exacerbated during the pandemic in the context of increased demand for gloves. Attempts at remediation are shown to operate through both a reconfigured value chain in which power shifted dramatically to the manufacturers and a context where public procurement became higher in profile than ever before. It is argued that the purchasing power of governments must be leveraged in ways that more meaningfully address labour issues, and that this must be part of value chain resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
14702266
Volume :
23
Issue :
1
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Global Networks
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
160899832
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/glob.12360