The Brazilian Public Prosecutor's Office (MPT) on Monday blocked the construction of a Chinese electric car maker BYD's factory in Camaçari, Bahia state, after 163 Chinese nationals working in “slavery-like conditions” were rescued from the site. announced that it had closed.
via related parties statementMPT said an ongoing investigation, which began in mid-November, found that workers were forced to work in “precarious” and “poor” conditions and stayed in accommodation that lacked basic hygiene measures. As a result of this revelation, the decision was made to shut down construction work at the factory. were kept in very unsanitary conditions. The rescued Chinese nationals were hired to work at a BYD factory in Brazil through a contractor believed to be Jinjiang Group.
BYD – China's leading car manufacturer and company with deep knowledge. tie Communist Party of China – Building an electric car factory in Brazil position The building was previously occupied by American car manufacturer Ford. I quit The company plans to start operations in Brazil in 2021. ford sold Notify the local government of Bahia of its location in 2023.
MPT said in a statement that the rescued workers were spread across four main accommodation facilities in Camaçari. A fifth accommodation facility for government workers was also inspected by authorities, but no workers were rescued, although inspectors found “some anomalies” at the site. Brazilian news outlets published photos and video footage of the tests shared by officials.
“The conditions found in the accommodation revealed an alarming state of instability and deterioration. In the first room, employees slept on beds without mattresses and there were no cupboards to store personal items. The ingredients were mixed,” the prosecutor's office said. “The sanitary situation was particularly critical, with only one toilet for every 31 employees, who had to wake up at 4 a.m. to queue and be ready for work by 5:30 a.m. .”
“All accommodations shared serious infrastructure and hygiene problems. Toilets were not only inadequate, but also non-separated for men and women, lacked proper toilet seats, and had poor hygiene,” the statement said. continued. “As there was no proper place to wash clothes, workers started using their own toilets for this purpose.”
The prosecutor's office said the kitchen was “equally unstable” and lacked proper cupboards to store food. Inspectors found construction materials placed next to food and food stored in unsanitary conditions next to toilets. Only one of the houses had a makeshift dining room with wooden benches and tables, but it was insufficient for all the workers, forcing “most of the workers to eat in their beds.” It had been.
“Conditions at the construction site also revealed serious abnormalities. Minimum sanitary conditions were not ensured in the workplace cafeteria, and meals were served using coolers,” the statement said. . “Chemical toilets are in deplorable condition, with only eight locations for around 600 workers, not adhering to the minimum distances set by regulations, and without toilet paper, water or proper maintenance. It was there.”
The investigation also found that workers were exposed to intense solar radiation and showed visible signs of skin damage. Several industrial accidents were also recorded, including one in which workers suffered accidents due to poor housing conditions or lack of sleep due to long working hours.
The investigation also found that the workers were subjected to “forced labor” conditions, including having their passports and 60% of their wages confiscated by contractors. Workers were threatened with severe punishment if they decided to quit. The investigation found that early termination of the contract would mean the loss of withheld wages, a refund of the cost of the flight to Brazil, and the obligation to pay for the round-trip ticket to China.
The Public Prosecutor's Office explained as follows.
Imagine that if a worker tries to terminate his employment contract after six months, he receives nothing in return for his work, such as a discount on his deposit, a plane ticket to come to Brazil, and payment of his wages. I will have to leave the country immediately. A round-trip ticket would actually result in a forfeiture of the entire amount of money received by the worker through the employment relationship.
The Public Prosecutor's Office, in cooperation with Brazil's Ministry of Labor, has scheduled a joint virtual hearing for Thursday, December 26, in which BYD and Jinjiang will present the necessary measures to “guarantee minimum accommodation conditions and negotiate general regularization conditions. “We will make it possible.” About what has already been detected. ”
“However, the inspection continues to analyze the requested documents and the need for further on-site inspections is not excluded,” the prosecutor's office stressed.
In a statement provided to local Brazilian media on Monday, BYD Brazil Vice President Alexandre Bardi said. reportedly The Chinese automaker company does not tolerate “disrespect for Brazilian law and human dignity” and says it will “in addition to considering other matters, close the contract with the contractor responsible for some of the work at the Camacari plant.” We have decided to “terminate it immediately.'' Take appropriate measures. ”
“BYD reiterates its commitment to full compliance with Brazilian law, especially regarding the protection of workers' rights,” Baldi said. “Therefore, the company has been cooperating with the competent authorities since the beginning and has decided to terminate the contract with the construction company Jinjiang.”
