LABOUR ABUSE: New report exposes the exploitation behind the world’s food systems workers
‘Food Work’, a new IPES-Food report exposes the extent and forces driving the exploitation of workers in food systems across the globe.
Labour abuse: New report uncovers exploitation in global food systems
The IPES-Food report, titled "Food Work," reveals the extent of worker exploitation in the world's food systems on October 5. Nearly 1.4 billion people are employed in the food sector, with two out of every five workers involved. However, this sector exploits more workers than any other.
The report identifies six forces driving exploitation: gender, class, and race-based discrimination; migrant workers' vulnerability; corporate market power; digital technologies; climate change impacts; and tensions between migrant and local workers.
Gender, class, and race-based discrimination are prevalent, with women performing an estimated 12.5 billion hours of unpaid care work daily. These women often face low wages, informal work, and limited bargaining power. Women also suffer from wage gaps, structural segregation, and high rates of workplace violence and harassment.
Migrant workers are particularly vulnerable, often subjected to exploitation due to their reliance on unique employer visas. Migrant farmworkers may bring their children to farms due to lack of affordable childcare and education, facing poor working conditions and inadequate rest facilities.
Corporate power exacerbates exploitation through market dominance, anti-competitive practices, outsourcing, and anti-union actions. In South Africa, companies fired workers for striking during contract negotiations but avoided fines by suing the union instead.
Digital technologies and gig-based platforms are employed to reduce labor costs and increase control over workers. Workers in Walmart and food delivery services report increased surveillance, dehydration, and lack of basic workplace injury compensation.
Climate change impacts workers, particularly agricultural workers, who face heat stress, reduced working hours, and increased pesticide exposure. The El Niño phenomenon acts as a "stress test" for South Africa's food systems.
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