The Hands That Feed Us - Food Chain Workers Alliance

The Hands That Feed Us examines
the five core food occupations and industries in the food system:
farmworkers (production), slaughterhouse and other processing facilities
workers (processing), warehouse workers (distribution), grocery store
workers (retail), and restaurant and food service workers (service).  It
examines how corporate consolidation throughout the food chain has
created universal impacts on workers in terms of low wages, small to
midsize employers in terms of unfair competition, and consumers in terms
of food quality and diversity.  Employers interviewed unanimously
commented on how multinational food corporations receiving government
subsidies and tax breaks and buying up their own suppliers has created
unfair and unmanageable competition.

In addition to examples
of poor work environments, the report also highlights fair business
practices and steps that policymakers, consumers, and employers can take
to improve conditions for food system workers."

A history of how
the food chain operates can be found on pages 13-17 of the report. This
highlights how we, as consumers, can be involved. Page 17 includes a pie
chart breaking down of the food chain workers by sector, while graphs
for wages and demographics can be found on pages 19 and 20.