The Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE) confirmed that it intends to restructure the national policy to combat work similar to slavery. questioned by Brazil Agencythe ministry’s advisory reported that the intention is to strengthen inspections to identify and curb the criminal exploitation of labor in the country.
The ministerial proposal was first disclosed by the portal metropolises. And it came to light amid the repercussions of the case involving 207 outsourced workers who provided services to wineries in Bento Gonçalves, in Serra Gaúcha, in Rio Grande do Sul.
Still according to the ministerial advisory, a new secretary responsible for the area of labor inspection should be appointed soon, and it will be up to him to detail how the restructuring will be carried out.
wineries
On the 22nd, employees of the Federal Police (PF) and Federal Highway Police (PRF) and the Ministry of Labor and Employment found 207 workers subjected to degrading conditions in wineries in Rio Grande do Sul. The rescue took place after three workers fled and arrived at the PRF headquarters in Caxias do Sul and filed a complaint.
Most of the workers found living in unhealthy accommodation had left Bahia attracted by the promise of receiving R$3,000 a month in wages. Hired by a third-party company to harvest grapes in Serra Gaúcha, they provided services to at least three large wineries in the region (Aurora, Garibaldi and Salton).
In testimony, the rescued workers said that, in addition to not receiving the agreed amount, they received spoiled food, were subjected to long working hours and were frequently threatened or subjected to physical violence. They were also coerced not to leave the workplace under penalty of being punished with fines for breach of contract.
The PF arrested and sent to the Bento Gonçalves prison the Bahian businessman responsible for the company that hired the staff. A civil inquiry was launched to deepen investigations into the responsibilities for the case.
Occurrences similar to those registered in Bento Gonçalves are registered throughout the country. At the beginning of last month, the Ministry of Labor; the PRF; the PF and the Regional Labor Superintendence freed 17 people who worked in degrading conditions in a charcoal factory in São João do Paraíso, Maranhão. In the same period, similar joint actions were being launched in Pará.
According to data from the Ministry of Labor and Employment, last year, across the country, 2,575 people were found working in conditions similar to slavery.
