A detailed analysis of how piece-rate pay and production quotas impact wages, hours, women, and children in Latin American coffee production.
This report explores how widespread piece-rate systems in coffee harvesting can lead to underpayment, excessive working hours, gender inequality, and child labor. Drawing on more than 2,000 worker interviews, it reveals how quotas and low rates often push families to work longer days or involve children to meet basic needs. The study highlights how women’s labor frequently goes unpaid or undervalued, reinforcing economic dependency. It concludes with practical recommendations for roasters, producers, and governments to ensure fair pay, eliminate exploitative quotas, and expand access to childcare and grievance mechanisms across the coffee sector.
Coffee
