Brazilian wineries Aurora, Garibaldi and Salton accused of slave labor
Wineries must pay R$ 7 million in moral damages
Published on 12/03/2023 - 14:13 By Felipe Pontes - Agência Brasil - Brasília
The Public Ministry of Labor of Brazil announced this week that it has signed a Conduct Adjustment Agreement with Aurora, Garibaldi, and Salton wineries, involved in a case of slave labor that took place in Bento Gonçalves, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, on February 22.
According to the agreement, the wineries committed to pay R$ 7 million in compensation, R$ 5 million for collective moral damages and R$ 2 million for individual damages, to be divided among the rescued workers. The deadline for payment is 15 days after the list of beneficiaries is provided.
"The collective moral damage amounts will be reverted to entities, funds or projects aimed at recovering the damage," said the Ministry.
According to the investigations, the three wineries involved in the case hired outsourced labor provided by the company, which then kept the workers, mostly from Bahia, in degrading conditions.
Understand the case
On February 22, a joint action between the Federal Highway Police, the Federal Police and the Ministry of Labor and Employment rescued 207 workers who were facing degrading working conditions in Bento Gonçalves, in Serra Gaúcha.
More:
https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/en/justica/noticia/2023-03/brazilian-wineries-aurora-garibaldi-and-salton-accused-slave-labor
~ ~ ~
Google translation:
02/28/20232:57 pm
Slave labor is associated with 'lack of labor' and 'welfare system', says note from Entidade Industrial
BY NINJA
The Center for Industry, Commerce and Services in Bento Gonçalves issued a note on the case of workers in a situation similar to slavery who were recently rescued. In the note, the entity states that the wineries were unaware of the company's practice with outsourced and temporary workers, and that it is concerned with the well-being of its employees and workers. But at the end of the note, he explains that enslaving people is also related to the fact that there is inactive labor that does not work because they survive on “a welfare system”, almost as a justification for maintaining the situation in which these people lived, and how if it wasn't the fault of those who enslave, but of the people who use social programs.
Workers were taken to the Bento Gonçalves gym. Photo: Disclosure/MPT
The excerpt reads: “Situations like this, unfortunately, are also related to a problem that has long been emphasized and worked on by the CIC-BG and the local Public Power: the lack of manpower and the need to invest in projects and initiatives to minimize this major problem. There is a large portion of the population with full productive conditions and which, even so, is inactive, surviving through a welfare system that has nothing to do with society.”
More than 200 workers from Bahia were rescued from a lodging in Bento Gonçalves, in Rio Grande do Sul, where they were living in degrading conditions and work analogous to slavery. They were hired by a company that offered labor to Aurora wineries, Cooperativa Garibaldi, Salton and rural producers in the region. During the period they were hired, the workers contracted debts because they could only buy products in specific and more expensive places, they had their families threatened, they were attacked with shocks and pepper spray.
The responsible company is Fênix Serviços Administrativos e Apoio a Gestão de Saúde LTDA. Pedro Augusto de Oliveira Santana, responsible for the accommodation where the workers lived, was arrested but paid bail and will respond freely.
Of the workers, part has already returned to Bahia, others are yet to return. They must receive compensation by this Tuesday, the 28th. This does not remove labor rights and does not pay employment contracts.
https://midianinja.org/news/trabalho-escravo-esta-associado-a-falta-de-mao-de-obra-e-sistema-assistencialista-diz-nota-de-entidade-industrial/
~ ~ ~
Google translation:
Bento Gonçalves company investigated for work similar to slavery refuses conduct adjustment term
Fênix does not accept the payment of individual compensation, in addition to denying the characterization of conditions analogous to slavery
03/02/2023 - 9:20 pm
Updated on 03/03/2023 - 10:35 am
VICTORIA LEITZKE
The second hearing between the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT) and the company Fênix Serviços Administrativos e Apoio à Gestão de Saúde Ltda de Bento Gonçalves , investigated for keeping 207 workers in a situation analogous to slavery , did not have an agreement between the parties, this Thursday- fair (2). According to the MPT, the company did not accept the conditions provided for in an additive conduct adjustment term (TAC), including the payment of compensation for moral damages.
Still according to the MPT, the company does not recognize the occurrence of work in conditions analogous to slavery and, therefore, denied the payment of R$ 600,000 in compensation . At the meeting, which took place virtually, Fênix met the deadline for presenting proof of payment of severance pay to the 207 men, who left for Bahia early on Saturday (25).
In addition to the payment of indemnity, the TAC proposal contains obligations regarding recruiting workers and housing. The MPT also demanded payment of a fine by the company for violating the terms of a previous TAC, signed in 2017.
. . .
https://gauchazh.clicrbs.com.br/pioneiro/geral/noticia/2023/03/empresa-de-bento-goncalves-investigada-por-trabalho-semelhante-ao-escravo-recusa-termo-de-ajustamento-de-conduta-clerrnio9004k016mjxsyxibi.html
~ ~ ~
Google translation:
New slave labor blacklist denounces 209 companies
For the 1st time, a domestic employer was reported as an offender
Published on 10/05/2018 - 17:32 By Letycia Bond* – Reporter at Agência Brasil - Brasília
The Ministry of Labor released today (5) an updated version of the so-called "dirty list" of slave labor, in which it denounces 209 companies for committing the crime. According to the document , between 2005 and this year, 2,879 employees were subjected by their employers to carrying out work activities under degrading and inhumane conditions.
The head of the Inspection Division for the Eradication of Slave Labor (Detrae), Maurício Krepsky Fagundes, points out that the list has 50 names that did not appear in the previous register.
Still according to him, for the first time in the historical series, started in 2005, a domestic employer was reported as an offender. "This is the first rescue [of its kind]. Since then, there has been a case of a lady subjected [to work similar to slavery] for over 40 years, in the interior of Bahia and a case in Roraima as well. These [two the latter] are with processes still pending," he said.
Companies
Among the companies caught by the teams of labor inspectors is the business group in the textile sector Via Veneto, owner of designer brands such as Brooksfield and Harry's and which has a network of stores present throughout the country.
Agência Brasil also sought to hear the Via Veneto group, but did not receive a response.
According to Fagundes, the new list includes both urban and rural employers. Also according to him, only the list with consolidated data for 2018, released at the end of the year, will allow a more detailed analysis of the profile of the victims.
He points out, however, that the federal government already identifies as characteristics common to the victims the low level of education and the fact that they are inserted in pockets of poverty. "It's already a historic character," he said.
The list released today brings together closed administrative processes, that is, when the employer has already been heard and had the right to defend himself against the accusations in two administrative instances.
Slavery
Current Brazilian legislation classifies as work analogous to slavery all forced activity - when a person is prevented from leaving their workplace - carried out under degrading conditions or exhausting hours. Any case in which the employee is constantly, ostensibly, watched by his boss is also liable to be reported.
According to the National Coordination for the Eradication of Slave Labor (Conaete), an exhausting journey is any expedient that, due to circumstances of intensity, frequency or exhaustion, causes damage to the physical or mental health of the worker, who, being vulnerable, has his or her will annulled and his dignity affected. Degrading working conditions, on the other hand, are those in which the contempt for human dignity is established by the violation of fundamental rights of the worker, in particular those referring to hygiene, health, safety, housing, rest, food or others related to personality rights. .
Another form of contemporary slavery recognized in Brazil is debt bondage, which occurs when the employee has his travel restricted by the employer on the grounds that he must settle a certain amount of money.
Research by the International Labor Organization (ILO) published last year, prepared jointly with the Walk Free Foundation, reveals that, worldwide, around 25 million people were victims of forced labor in 2016 .
https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/direitos-humanos/noticia/2018-10/nova-lista-suja-de-trabalho-escravo-denuncia-209-empresas
~ ~ ~
Have seen slave workers in Brazil having to sleep in hammocks tied to trees in articles, starting for me, when I first started following articles on slavery at least 15 years ago, although clearly it has always been happening since the days of open slavery in Brazil, some of it conducted by former plantation owners who moved to Brazil after the Civil War, to be able to continue their use of enslaved people.
The first modern slaves I read about in Brazil work for people who have them cut down trees, burn the trees to make charcoal to sell commericially.
