I used to work in food factories while at college, it was good money (over double the minimum wage), but this is over 15 years ago..<p>I remember one line manager having a go at us, and blaming us for holding up the production line, he wanted us to be back on the line within the hour. When it takes 15mins to get around the factory floor and change.<p>Since then the work force has switched to Eastern Europeans (many Portuguese were coming over to work when I left), it really depends on who are the poorest counties in the EU. Now the pay IS the minimum wage (it would lower if it wasn&#x27;t a legal requirement).<p>It&#x27;s a shame we have this race to the bottom, with so many willing to compete. It does feel like some sectors are moving back to the Victorian era, where a persons quality of means very little (even animals have these standards). All some employers care about is that staff don&#x27;t get maimed, only because of the expensive legal settlements and risk of shutting down factories.