Over 200 Brazil firms found treating workers as slaves
January 5th, 2011 - 10:29 am ICT by IANSBrasilia, Jan 5 (IANS/EFE) The Brazilian government has said 220 firms in the country have been found to be exploiting their workers and treating them as slaves.The labour ministry included 88 new firms on the list published earlier this week.
Since authorities began keeping figures in 2003, the list is updated every six months.
This time around 14 companies that have improved their labour practices were dropped from the roster.
Among the 220 firms that use “slave labour” are mainly agricultural plantations, sugar mills, as well as coal yards, timber companies, construction firms and textile factories.
The plantations that appear on the list are accused of exploiting their workers by making them work excessive hours, paying them below the minimum wage and forcing them to live and work amid bad safety, hygiene and lodging conditions.
The companies on the black list have to pay heavy fines, are denied credit at public banks and are prohibited from selling their products to government entities.
The government keeps companies on the list for a minimum of two years and for a firm to have its name expunged, the business leaders must pay the fines and prove that they have corrected any hiring and labour use irregularities.
–IANS/EFE
pm
- 52 Brazilians rescued from slave-like conditions - Feb 02, 2012
- Layoffs to cost Spanish firm $3.8 bn - Jul 16, 2011
- Brazil Senate moves to expel lawmaker linked to crime - May 09, 2012
- Brazilian firm to invest $9 bn in projects around the world - Mar 14, 2011
- Argentina says oil company owes $8 mn in tax - Feb 16, 2012
- 33 firms fined for deforestation in Brazil - Apr 07, 2010
- Brazil's wireless carriers challenge 4G auction plans - May 12, 2012
- Spanish city to fine those who go naked in public - May 30, 2011
- Two mn Mexicans employed as domestic workers - Nov 24, 2011
- Spanish miners stay underground to demand pay arrears - Sep 09, 2010
- Over 110,000 firms shut down in Spain - Sep 03, 2010
- Brazilian airline employees threaten pre-Christmas strike - Dec 22, 2010
- Brazil sets auto export quotas for Mexico - Apr 05, 2012
- Chinese couple jailed for enslaving mentally disabled - May 01, 2011
- 2012 will be a year of upheaval: Cuban priests - Jan 04, 2012
Tags: agricultural plantations, authorities, brazilian government, business leaders, coal yards, construction firms, efe, excessive hours, government entities, irregularities, labour ministry, labour practices, minimum wage, safety hygiene, six months, slave labour, slaves, sugar mills, textile factories, timber companies