Chinese automaker BYD has denied reports of poor working conditions at a construction site in Brazil where it is building a factory. The allegations came after Brazilian prosecutors rescued 163 Chinese nationals working in what they described as “slavery-like” conditions. A video showed the workers living in dorms with no mattresses and basic cooking facilities. BYD spokesperson, Li Yunfei, criticized the reports as an attempt to smear China and Chinese brands.
BYD, a major producer of electric cars, announced that it would terminate its contract with the contractor, Jinjiang Group, following the reports of poor working conditions. The company assured that the workers would be housed in nearby hotels and not suffer due to the decision to stop work. BYD had been working on improving working conditions at the site over the past few weeks and had instructed contractors to make necessary adjustments.
Li Yunfei shared a statement from Chinese workers at the site, expressing their desire to continue working there and denying the reports of poor conditions. Prosecutors highlighted the lack of sanitary conditions at the construction site, with only one toilet for every 31 workers. They also mentioned issues such as passports being confiscated, wages being withheld, and workers being forced to pay for their return tickets if they quit. Jinjiang Construction Brazil denied the allegations and stated that the information released by the labor department was inaccurate.
The company attributed the cultural differences, translation problems, and misunderstandings to the inaccurate information provided by the labor department. Despite the challenges faced by migrant construction workers, with spartan living conditions and exploitative contracts, Jinjiang Construction Brazil claimed that its workers were willing to speak with the media about the situation. The situation sheds light on the difficulties faced by migrant workers in the developing world, where labor laws are often disregarded. Efforts are being made to address the issues and improve working conditions for these workers.
