Dozens of Chinese workers have been taken and put up in hotels in Brazil’s tropical northeastern region after local labor authorities found them at a construction site for electric vehicle automaker BYD.

Summary

Brazilian authorities discovered 163 Chinese workers allegedly living in “slavery-like conditions” at a BYD electric vehicle factory construction site in Camacari.

Prosecutors suspect human trafficking under contractor Jinjiang Group, citing poor living conditions such as mattress-less beds and inadequate cooking facilities.

BYD terminated its contract with the contractor but dismissed the allegations as a smear campaign against Chinese brands.

The workers have been moved to hotels, but their current whereabouts remain unclear as investigations continue. BYD’s factory is set to begin production next year.

    • jeffw@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      13 days ago

      In the supply chain. OEM parts are not made by the car brands.

      For example, Ford doesn’t make headlights. They buy them from a headlight company. If the headlights were made by kids, do you blame Ford or the headlight company?

      • JeeBaiChow@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        11 days ago

        Yeah. About time they were held accountable for due diligence on their supply chain. ‘i didn’t know’ wouldn’t fly as a defence for an individual, why should it for a corporation? Convenient deniability of accountability.

        • jeffw@lemmy.worldEnglish
          11·
          10 days ago

          You know the conditions for workers who made every item you bought?