Chinese EV maker BYD faces allegations of ‘slavery-like’ conditions

[Jack]

CHINESE EV MAKER BYD HAS BEEN EXPANDING GLOBAL PRODUCTION – 

BUT NOW THE COMPANY IS BEING HIT WITH CLAIMS OF SLAVERY LIKE CONDITIONS AT ONE OF ITS FIRST FACILITIES OVERSEAS.

AUTHORITIES SAYING THEY UNCOVERED CONDITIONS THAT RESULTED IN CONSTRUCTION ON THE AUTOMAKER’S UPCOMING PLANT IN BRAZIL BEING SHUT DOWN.

THEY ACCUSE BYD OF SUBJECTING MORE THAN 160 WORKERS TO INHUMANE TREATMENT.

THE WORKERS WERE REPORTEDLY BROUGHT TO BRAZIL FROM CHINA BY A CONTRACTOR-

AND FORCED TO STAY ON THE JOB FOR EXCESSIVELY LONG HOURS, SOMETIMES ENDURING THIS OVER SEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS.

LIVING CONDITIONS HERE WERE DESCRIBED AS DEGRADING.

MORE THAN 600 WORKERS SHARED JUST EIGHT PORTABLE TOILETS, WHICH INVESTIGATORS SAY WAS IN A “DEPLORABLE STATE,” LACKING TOILET PAPER AND WATER. 

FOOD WAS STORED IN UNSANITARY CONDITIONS, WITH PREPARED MEALS LEFT EXPOSED ON THE FLOOR.

MANY WERE LEFT HELPLESS TO ESCAPE.

OVER 100 WORKERS HAD THEIR PASSPORTS WITHHELD AND WERE UNABLE TO LEAVE THE SITE WITHOUT PERMISSION.

BRAZIL’S PUBLIC LABOR PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE BEGAN TO INVESTIGATE THE SITUATION IN NOVEMBER-

CONFIRMING THE WORKERS WERE SUBJECTED TO FORCED LABOR AND CONDITIONS THAT VIOLATED BASIC SAFETY STANDARDS.

THE FACTORY, WHICH WAS TO BE BYD’S FIRST ELECTRIC VEHICLE PLANT OUTSIDE OF ASIA, WAS SCHEDULED TO OPEN BY MARCH 2025.

IN RESPONSE TO THE FINDINGS, THE EV MAKER STATED THAT IT DOES NOT TOLERATE VIOLATIONS OF LOCAL LAW OR HUMAN DIGNITY. 

BYD SAYS IT HAS CUT TIES WITH THE CONTRACTOR WHO FACILITATED THIS- 

AND IS REVIEWING ALL WORKING AND LIVING CONDITIONS FOR OTHER CONTRACTORS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT.

THE COMPANY CLAIMS ALL WORKERS WHO DEALT WITH THESE CONDITIONS WILL NOW BE TRANSFERRED TO HOTELS IN THE REGION-

AND EMPHASIZED ITS COMMITMENT TO ETHICAL PRACTICES.

TO GET MORE STORIES ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE INDUSTRY, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND SIGN UP FOR ALERTS FROM ME- JACK AYLMER.