A report has found that most of those working in food industry jobs do not earn a living wage, do not have health benefits and have few options for promotion. The report found that only 13.% of those surveyed make a living wage, and that 86% said they could not support themselves on their wages. The report also found that 79% of the workers did not have or know if they had sick days, and that over half reported coming to work sick. An economist estimated that the cost of raising the wages of field workers to above the poverty line would cost consumers $15 more a year.
See "Low wages of food industry workers documented", Stacy Finz, San Francisco Chronicle, June 6, 2012