Forced LaborArchive 2008–2016

Forced Labor in Vargem, Santa Catarina (2011)

A forced labor case from 2011 in Vargem, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

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Documented on the original SlaveryMap (2008–2016). We don’t have a verifiable source on file yet. Know one?

What happened

Information translated using googletranslate.com: 23 workers were rescued from a tobacco farm/plantation where they worked ‘on similar terms to the slave’. 11 of the rescued workers were between the ages of 12-16. The workers were made to apply pesticides to the tobacco crop in bare feet/flip-flops, and without protective equipment. The International Labor Organization (ILO) states that such work can result in cancer and other fatal degenerative diseases – it is expressly forbidden for children under 18 years of age. There was no appropriate place for the chemicals to be stored or prepared for use. There were also no washing facilities for those who had come into contact with the chemicals. The workers had not studied, and did not have access to the ‘Pesticide Risk Management for Workers’. The adults and children were transported to work at approx. 6am each day in a ‘bucket’ that was attached to the rear of a tractor. They then worked for 19 hours at the farm. It was reported that there was one bathroom, and that they shared drinking water from the same glass. The pesticides, water and food for workers were all being transported in the same buckets. The adults were not registered, and therefore not protected by social security. They had not received any medical benefits, and had been denied rights such as paid weekly rest, adequate salary. Some of the workers were reported to have been working approx. 26 days, and other 3 or 4 days.

Response and intervention

There was joint action by the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MTE), the Ministry of Labour (MPT), and the Federal Police (Rio Vermelho, Santa Catarina North Highlands). The State Public Ministry stated that they will take ‘appropriate action with respect to child labor’. The prosecutor commented that the total fine regarding redundancy labor and social security, would be approx. $60,000 for the owner of the plantation. The same farm had also been charged two years prior to this investigation by the Ministry of Labour (MPT). Unknown. The result was that the workers were rescued, and the farm was closed. The owner was given a week to raise the funds to pay the damages and the appropriate labor and social security funds. The children and adolescents were delivered to their homes. The attorney reported that the owner of the plantation had to pay $1,000 per worker, and $1,300 for each minor. Joint action by the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MTE), the Ministry of Labour (MPT), and the Federal Police (Rio Vermelho, Santa Catarina North Highlands)

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Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2011

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Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016