In March, customer service workers filed for union recognition at Everlane, a major online retail clothing brand. Despite its stated commitment to “ethical factories” and “radical transparency,” four days later Everlane laid them off, claiming the layoffs were necessary in light of the COVID-19 crisis.

Everlane workers organized for the same reasons as workers at companies like Uber, Instacart, and Amazon: low pay, part-time work, misclassification as independent contractors, no benefits or job security, and no paid sick time. After the layoffs, the union representing the Everlane workers, the Communications Workers of America, filed a charge with the National Labor Relations Board against their employer for retaliating against the union effort. They also wrote a letter to Everlane CEO Michael Preysman demanding their jobs back and union recognition.

Though the layoffs had a chilling effect on organizing and all but broke the union effort, since then, Everlane has made major concessions to the workers. An emergency ordinance passed in San Francisco in June has forced Everlane to offer jobs back to laid-off workers before it can hire new employees to fill the same positions. And according to Sarah Smith (not her real name), a former employee I interviewed who was offered her job back, Everlane has succumbed to important elements of the union’s demands, offering full-time customer service jobs starting at $19 per hour, with full benefits and paid time off.