Operation rescues 110 workers in a situation similar to slavery in MG

An operation by the Ministry of Labor and Employment, together with the Federal Highway Police and the Public Ministry of Labor, rescued 110 workers in conditions analogous to slavery in the construction of a power transmission line in eastern Minas Gerais. According to the ministry, all workers were from states in the North and Northeast.

The inspection was carried out between the 29th and 30th of March in lodgings and work fronts of the Consórcio Construtor Linha Verde, formed by the companies Toyo Setal and Nova Participações, in the municipalities of Conselheiro Pena and Governador Valadares. However, the case was only disclosed this week, after the payment of the workers’ terminations, which amounts to about R$ 752 thousand.

According to the MTE, six accommodations were audited, including hotels, rented houses and a warehouse, all used by the company responsible for building the transmission line for use by employees. In an interview with Sheet, the tax auditor responsible for the case, mentioned that at the site, where about 78 workers were, it was found that there was no adequate ventilation. While the other 32 employees stayed in a building, where conditions were much worse, the heat was very strong and they were unable to sleep.

With the end of the operation, the MTE released this Wednesday (5) an updated list with the names of employers who have subjected workers to conditions analogous to slavery. The list contains 289 employers, 17 of which were withdrawn and 132 new names were included, including natural and legal persons caught by the Labor Inspection. The state with the highest number of flagrantes between 2018 and 2022 is Minas Gerais with 35 cases of slave labor.

What does the consortium say?

In a note released by Sheet, the Linha Verde consortium says it does not agree that the workers were in conditions analogous to slavery. He also said that 70 of the 110 rescued workers showed interest in remaining as employees.

After the audit carried out by the MTE, the consortium mentions that it removed the workers from the places that were inspected and relocated them in a new space, meeting the requirements stipulated by the ministry. “Regarding the inconsistencies found, related to low ventilation in the work quarters, the group paralyzed the activities of the workers installed in the sites”, says the consortium.

According to the consortium, “the professionals receive food, transportation, individual and collective protection equipment, training on health and safety, in addition to tickets to return to their homes on a regular basis”. And he also reinforced that all workers are duly registered in accordance with the CLT.

“The consortium does not agree that these professionals were in conditions analogous to slavery. He believes that the fact has nothing similar to the events recorded in the south of the country”, say the companies.