According to a report from Reuters, the labor department of Bahia, Brazil, revealed in a press conference on Monday (December 23) that about 163 Chinese citizens were found to be in a “slave-like working environment” at the local BYD factory construction site.
These workers were recruited by another company in China and illegally brought to Brazil. They have been working longer hours than allowed by Brazilian law, sometimes working seven days a week, and their living conditions have been described as “harsh” by authorities, with other labor violations also present.
Labor inspector Liane Durao stated that these workers are not free to leave their dormitories and require employer approval or permission to do so, with at least 107 of them having their passports withheld by the employer.
Durao mentioned that the conditions at the construction site are extremely dangerous, stating, “We found that the work of these 163 workers was being conducted under conditions similar to slavery.” She added that “the working environment does not meet the minimum safety standards.”
BYD did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment. The labor department did not disclose the names of the companies involved in hiring these workers.
Additionally, according to a press release from the Labor Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPT) in Bahia on November 28, the agency began investigating the working conditions at BYD’s car manufacturing plant in the city of Camacari in the state, following an anonymous tip received on September 30.
On November 11, the agency conducted an inspection of the production line area under construction by BYD. Furthermore, MPT requested copies of labor contracts, work visas for foreign workers at the site, accident prevention, and occupational health plans from BYD and three subcontracting companies.
The investigation is ongoing at present.