Brazilian authorities rescued 163 Chinese workers who worked in conditions similar to slavery on the construction sites of a car factory owned by the Chinese company BYD.
The workers work for the Jinjiang Group, one of the companies hired by the Chinese company to build the factory in Camaçari, a municipality in the metropolitan region of Salvador, in the state of Bahia.
This factory had been announced by the Brazilian head of state, Lula da Silva, at the beginning of the month, with BYD’s executive vice-president, Stella Li, who stated that the vehicle production factory in Brazil would be the largest and most advanced outside of Brazil. China, where it has its headquarters and most of its production.
Supposedly, by the end of 2025, the Brazilian production unit should produce 150 thousand vehicles, mainly to supply the South American markets, and in 2026 to 300 thousand.
According to a note from the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT) of Bahia, the conditions of workers, both in accommodation and on the construction site, were precarious and degrading, with 60% of their salaries being withheld by the company, as well as their passports.
In the accommodation, they slept in beds without mattresses, had nowhere to store their belongings and “the sanitary situation was particularly critical, with only one bathroom for every 31 workers”, the authorities detailed.
In food areas, kitchens operated in “alarming conditions” without cabinets for adequate food storage, some of which were located near bathrooms and in unsanitary conditions.
At the construction site, there were only eight chemical toilets for around 600 workers, which were in a “deplorable” state, without toilet paper, without water and without adequate maintenance.
Authorities also found that workers were exposed to “intense solar radiation”, with “visible signs of skin damage”, and that there had been several work accidents.
They also mentioned that the workers’ situation was framed as “forced labor,” since, in addition to withholding part of their wages and passports, workers faced severe punishments if they terminated the contract.
Workers could lose 40% of their retained salary and would have to pay out of their own pocket for the return ticket to China, in addition to the cost of the ticket they used to get to Brazil.
According to the MPT, some of the rescued workers remain in accommodation, while others are in a hotel.
Accommodation and works will remain under embargo, and no activities can be carried out until they are fully regularized by the respective supervisory bodies.
A joint virtual hearing by the MPT and the Ministry of Labor is scheduled for Thursday, December 26, for BYD and Jinjiang to present the necessary measures to guarantee minimum conditions for workers.
At the beginning of the month, the Brazilian Government indicated that the manufacturer of (Build Your Dreams), a leader in the sector, said that it planned to start producing vehicles in Brazil from March 2025.
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Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has cut ties with the construction company whose Chinese workers were found working and living in slave-like conditions in Brazil, leading to the suspension of work.
On Monday, Brazilian authorities rescued 163 Chinese workers who were building a new electric vehicle factory for BYD in the northeastern state of Bahia and ordered a halt to construction, according to a statement from the Ministry. Brazilian Labor Public.
The Chinese electric vehicle giant has ended relations with Jinjiang Construction Brazil Ltd and committed to protecting the rights of subcontracted workers, BYD’s Brazilian subsidiary said.
All workers will be transferred to hotels, the company assured in a statement.
“BYD Auto do Brasil reiterates its commitment to full compliance with Brazilian legislation, especially with regard to the protection of workers’ rights and human dignity,” said the vice-president of BYD Brasil, Alexandre Baldy.
Prosecutors stated that the workers lived in conditions similar to slavery, of “forced labor”, and that their passports and a large part of their salaries were withheld by the construction company.
Among a series of failures, the report found that, if a worker resigned after six months, he or she would leave without any remuneration, as the company discounted round-trip airfare to Brazil, among other costs. One victim suffered an accident at work after working for 25 days straight.
One of the housing facilities had beds without mattresses and just one bathroom for every 31 workers, forcing them to wake up at 4 a.m. daily to be ready to leave for work at 5:30 a.m., the report said.
Authorities have closed accommodation sites until local regulators deem them compliant.
BYD stated that it had carried out a “detailed review” in recent weeks of the working and living conditions of subcontracted workers and had requested, on “several occasions”, that the construction company make improvements.
The new electric vehicle factory is expected to come into operation next year.
