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The construction of a factory for the Chinese electric vehicle company BYD in Brazil has been suspended by Brazilian authorities due to the discovery of over 160 Chinese nationals working in “slavery-like” conditions. The laborers, who were stationed at a construction site in the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia, were found to be working excessively long hours, sometimes up to seven days in a row, and were living in poor conditions.
The laborers were employed by a contractor named Jinjiang Construction Brazil and were unable to leave the site without authorization. Additionally, over 100 of the workers had their passports confiscated. These workers were recruited in China and brought to Brazil for the project.
The site had been under investigation by the public labor prosecutor’s office since November. During a news conference on Monday, the local labor prosecutor’s office stated, “We discovered that the work of… these 163 workers was performed in conditions reminiscent of slavery.” It was also mentioned that the work environment did not meet the minimum safety standards required by law.
Slavery-like conditions in Brazil include forced labor, dehumanizing work environments, excessively long work hours that pose a health risk to workers, debt bondage, and any work that violates human dignity. The investigation revealed that over 600 employees were forced to sleep on cots without mattresses and share eight portable restrooms that were in poor condition and lacked basic amenities such as toilet paper and water.
Food was stored in unsanitary conditions near the restrooms due to a lack of kitchen space, and prepared meals were found on the floor without proper refrigeration. Most employees had to eat their meals while lying on their mattresses. The prosecutors stated that the living conditions at the site were degrading and precarious.
BYD, which stands for “Build Your Dreams,” was founded in 1995 as a battery manufacturer but has since become one of the world’s largest producers of electric vehicles. The company is headquartered in Pingshan, near Shenzhen, and is led by Wang Chuanfu, often referred to as China’s Elon Musk. BYD has stated that it does not tolerate violations of Brazilian law and human dignity and has terminated its contract with Jinjiang for part of the factory’s construction work.
The company has also begun relocating all employees to nearby hotels and has initiated a thorough evaluation of the living and working conditions of all workers employed by contractors involved in the project. BYD emphasized its commitment to adhering to local laws and ensuring the dignity, respect, and integrity of all workers.
BYD has been operating in Brazil for over a decade and has consistently upheld its values of human dignity and respect while complying with local regulations. The company is taking steps to address the issues at the construction site and ensure that all workers are treated fairly and in accordance with Brazilian labor laws.
The suspension of the factory construction serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding labor standards and ensuring that workers are treated with dignity and respect. It also highlights the need for companies to closely monitor their contractors and ensure that all workers are provided with safe and fair working conditions. BYD’s swift response to the situation and commitment to addressing the issues demonstrate that the company takes its responsibility to its employees seriously and is dedicated to maintaining ethical business practices.
