Over 160 Chinese workers have been “rescued from conditions akin to slavery” at the construction site of e-vehicle manufacturer BYD’s factory in Brazil, according to local authorities.
Auto do Brasil, the Brazilian subsidiary of the Chinese vehicle manufacturer, announced on Monday that it had “immediately” terminated the contract with the construction company, Jinjiang Construction Brazil.
The construction site is located in Camaçari, in the eastern state of Bahia, near the Atlantic Ocean, where BYD is building its largest factory outside Asia, with an annual production target of 150,000 vehicles.
The Labour Ministry of Bahia has halted activities on part of the site. Since November, the ministry, along with other government agencies, has conducted a series of inspections, discovering “163 workers in conditions resembling slavery at Jinjiang.” A ministry spokesperson stated that all the workers were Chinese nationals.
In a statement, the ministry spoke of "an alarming situation" and "humiliating working conditions" of workers staying at the yard. Some slept in beds without mattresses and had no cupboards in which to store personal belongings. The hygiene conditions there also worried the ministry, especially since there was only one toilet for 31 workers.
In addition, the ministry suspects "forced labour," since the passports of workers from China were confiscated, while their employer "withheld 60% of their wages and they received the remaining 40% in Chinese currency."
At the yard, the workers were also allegedly exposed to intense sunlight, with some showing signs of skin problems.
According to the ministry, a hearing should take place soon "so that BYD and Jinjiang can present the necessary measures to ensure minimum housing conditions and regularise the violations found."
