O Public Ministry of Labor (MPT) announced this Monday (23) that it had found 163 workers in conditions analogous to slavery in the works of the new factory, in Camaçari (BA). The employees, says the MPT, would be from the outsourcing company Jinjiang Group.
Part of the work was banned by the agency, which set up a task force to rescue the workers. It has representatives from the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT), the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE), the Federal Public Defender’s Office (DPU) and the Federal Highway Police (PRF), in addition to the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) and the Federal Police (PF).
There, according to the MPT, workers were subjected to working hours that exceed what is permitted under Brazilian legislation and would not have any time off. In only one of the five accommodation conditions did not require the rescue of workers.
The MPT lists problems related to the lack of mattresses on beds, insufficient number of bathrooms, lack of toilet seats, lack of space for washing clothes, kitchens without cabinets and the proximity of construction materials close to food.
MPT talks about 31 workers for a bathroom
In one of the accommodations, on Rua Colorado, workers slept in beds without mattresses or cabinets for personal belongings, which were mixed together with food materials — a single bathroom served 31 workers who, according to the agency, needed to form a line at 4 am to leave for work at 5:30 am.
In another case, a room occupied by a cook housed pans with food already prepared and open on the floor. Without refrigeration, they would be served the next day.
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“The work presented multiple irregularities related to the work environment, leading to the embargo of deep excavation activities and the partial closure of establishments, specifically the kitchen of one of the accommodations on Rua Colorado”, says the MPT publication. “A bench circular saw was also banned for not having any safety measures.”
Investigations
The Public Ministry of Labor began inspections following complaints about irregular working conditions at construction sites.
A few days after the complaint, the governor of Bahia, . The governor was on a controlled visit promoted by the company for the press, of which the Infomoney participated.
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On the occasion, the company’s senior vice president in Brazil, Alexandre Baldy, said that “BYD respects Brazilian laws, it works within all municipal, state and federal legislation. Whether it be a labor relationship, environmental relationship or commercial relationship with companies that provide services.”
O Infomoney asked for the company’s position regarding the announcement made by MPT this Monday, but did not receive a response until the article was published.
The Public Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Labor and Employment have scheduled a virtual hearing for the 26th so that BYD and Jinjang can present the necessary measures to guarantee minimum accommodation conditions and also for the conditions for general regularization to be negotiated.
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For now, the workers remain in the accommodation, but they are not allowed to work and their contracts have been terminated.
According to the MPT, the workers were required to pay bail and had withheld 60% of their wages. Early termination of the contract resulted in the loss of the deposit and the amounts retained, in addition to the obligation to pay for the return ticket and refund the value of the outward ticket.
The agency points out that, if a worker wanted to terminate their contract after six months, the discounts and tickets would lead to them effectively not receiving anything for their work.
