Chinese EV maker BYD faces allegations of forced labor and inhumane conditions at the construction site of its upcoming factory in Brazil.

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Jack Aylmer Energy Correspondent

Energy

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

Dec 24, 2024

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Jack Aylmer Energy Correspondent

By Jack Aylmer (Energy Correspondent), Jake Larsen (Video Editor)

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD is facing allegations of “slavery-like” conditions at a construction site for its upcoming plant in Brazil, prompting authorities to shut down the project. Investigators claim workers, brought from China by a contractor, were forced to work excessively long hours, sometimes over seven consecutive days.

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Brazil’s public labor prosecutor’s office has accused BYD of subjecting more than 160 workers to inhumane treatment. Over 600 workers were reportedly housed with only eight portable toilets. These toilets were described as being in a “deplorable state,” lacking toilet paper and water.

Food was stored in unsanitary conditions, with meals left exposed on the floor. Additionally, over 100 workers allegedly had their passports withheld, preventing them from leaving without permission.

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The prosecutor’s office began investigating the situation in November. Authorities found workers were subjected to forced labor and that basic safety standards were violated.

The plant, intended to be BYD’s first electric vehicle manufacturing facility outside of Asia, was initially scheduled to open by March 2025.

In response to the allegations, BYD stated that it “does not tolerate disrespect for Brazilian law and human dignity.”

The company announced it had severed ties with the contractor responsible and is reviewing working and living conditions for other contractors involved in the project. BYD also said affected workers will be relocated to hotels in the region, and it reaffirmed its commitment to ethical practices.

Tags: Battery plant, Brazil, cars, China, Electric vehicles, Slavery, Workers Rights

[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.

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

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