The need for forceful action is obvious. These figures are, of course, far below the official poverty level. Taking inflation into account, that's actually less than farm workers averaged a full decade ago. What's more, the workers generally have few, if any, fringe benefits. They suffer chronic unemployment.
Job security is virtually unknown.
Hiring and firing is done strictly at the whim of employers, many of them wealthy corporate growers who unilaterally set pay and working conditions, and otherwise act arbitrarily. At least one-third of the workers also are at the mercy of labor contractors who collect fees for transportation, food, housing, tools, protective clothing and, in some cases, drinking water. Theirs is one of the most dangerous of occupations, but farm workers have little protection against health and safety hazards. They're lucky if they even have fresh drinking water and clean field toilets on the job. A high percentage of the workers are desperately poor immigrants, legal and illegal, from Mexico and Central America who must take whatever is offered or be replaced by other desperate workers from the endless stream of immigrants.