Brazilian wineries Aurora, Garibaldi and Salton accused of slave labor
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 Fênix Serviços Administrativo, 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.
The rescue occurred after three workers who had fled the site contacted the Federal Police, in Caxias do Sul (RS), and made the complaint.
Attracted by the promise of a R$ 3 thousand salary, the workers reported facing delays in the payment of wages, physical violence, long working hours, and offering rotten food.
They also reported that, since their arrival at the beginning of the month, they were coerced to stay in the lodging, under penalty of paying a fine for breach of labor contract. The Federal Police arrested a businessman from Bahia, responsible for the company, who was sent to the prison of Bento Gonçalves.
In notes, the wineries involved said they were unaware of the irregularities practiced against workers recruited by the company providing outsourced services.
