Chinese automaker BYD is currently working on revamping a former Ford plant that was sold to the state of Bahia back in December 2023 after the automaker ceased its manufacturing operations in that country, which will soon become a major EV hub. The renovation of the former Ford site is being spearheaded by Chinese contractor Jinjiang Group, but Brazilian labor authorities recently claimed that they found hundreds of Chinese nationals working in “slavery-like conditions” there, allegations that the company and BYD have denied. Now, BYD is finding itself in a bit of legal hot water as a result.
According to the Associated Press, Brazilian prosecutors have announced they will sue BYD and two of its contractors – China JinJiang Construction Brazil and Tecmonta Equipamentos Inteligentes – over the alleged use of slave labor and engaging in international human trafficking, seeking 257 million Brazilian reais ($50 million USD) in damages. The prosecutors claim that the workers were brought to Brazil with visas that don’t match their job description, and did so under false pretenses as well.
“Working conditions were extremely degrading. Five settlements were kept by BYD, JinJiang and Tecmonta. Some workers slept on beds without mattresses and had their personal belongings alongside with their food,” the prosecutors’ office said. “There were few bathrooms, which were not gender-assigned. In one of the settlements, there was one toilet for 31 people, forcing workers to wake up at 4 a.m. for their personal hygiene before their work.”
BYD issued a statement noting that it has collaborated with these investigations since the start, all while it and Jinjiang Group continue to deny the allegations. “Being unjustly labeled as ‘enslaved’ has made our employees feel that their dignity has been insulted and their human rights violated, seriously hurting the dignity of the Chinese people. We have signed a joint letter to express our true feelings,” Jinjiang said in a statement. Li Yunfei, general manager of branding and public relations at BYD, also accused labor authorities of “deliberately smearing Chinese brands and the country and undermining the relationship between China and Brazil.” Recently, BYD noted that it expects the plant to be operational by 2026.
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