MPT gives 10 days for wineries to present contracts with third parties and other documentation

The Public Ministry of Labor in Rio Grande do Sul (MPT-RS) held this Wednesday (1/03) a video hearing with the three large wineries identified so far as contractors of outsourced services by Fênix Serviços de Apoio Administrativo, responsible for hiring workers rescued in a situation similar to slavery in Bento Gonçalves last week. Legal representatives from Aurora, Cooperativa Garibaldi and Salton met by teleconference with attorneys from the Special Group for Finalistic Action (GEAF), a special task force created by MPT-RS to act in the case of Bento Gonçalves.

The MPT gave wineries 10 days to present contractual and financial documents such as service provision contracts, articles of incorporation, invoices, information on contract inspection, among others, in order to measure the extent of responsibility of each one. With the analysis of this material, a proposal will be presented to the companies, including obligations to make and pay compensation for collective moral damages in order to prevent new cases and repair the collective damage already caused.

The three companies expressed their desire to work together to improve inspection of the production chain and to negotiate a commitment to that end.

On Tuesday (28), the MPT heard legal representatives of businessman Pedro Augusto de Oliveira Santana, owner of Fênix Serviços de Apoio Administrativo. The hearing was attended by attorneys from GEAF. At the time, it was proposed that the company pay individual moral damages to employees, without prejudice, therefore, to workers filing claims themselves. The proposed amount is around R$ 600,000, in addition to the R$ 1 million in severance pay fixed over the weekend.

The MPT also demanded the full presentation of proof of payment of the severance pay to the rescued and presented a proposal for a Term of Adjustment of Conduct additive to the emergency TAC signed over the weekend. The TAC proposal contains obligations regarding the recruitment of workers and accommodation. The MPT also demanded payment of a fine by the company for violating the terms of a previous TAC signed with the MPT in 2017.

The company has until noon on Thursday (02/3) to present proof of the last payments of severance pay, and until the new hearing scheduled for the same day, at 2 pm, to express its opinion on the terms of the agreement.