Having just arrived in Los Angeles, Maya, an undocumented Mexican immigrant, manages to find a job through her sister Rosa, as a cleaner in an office building in the city centre. However, she is appalled by the exploitation to which she is subjected. With the support and encouragement of a young American lawyer, Sam Shapiro (Adrien Brody), Maya begins to campaign for better wages and rights for the employees. Bread & Roses is a story about the most marginalised communities in Los Angeles who stand up to their bosses for a dignified life.