“Slavery-like conditions”, as defined by Brazilian law, include debt bondage and work that violates human dignity.
Remember this, everybody.
Violation of work dignity is part of mainland Chinese work culture. I guess the big heads in China still don’t understand the complaint
I wonder what the tankie spin of this would be.
They will still say “capitalism bad”.
Capitalism isn’t perfect, but it’s the better system we have so far.
There’s a good reason why their cars are cheap, and only one part of it is Chinese state subsidies.
The conditions were created by a Brazilian building contractor. It was not the factory environment, but the construction project environment.
‘slavery’ in quotes really seems to soften the blow. Like the time I ‘punched’ my boss.
It’s probably quoting the Brazilian authorities. Also, journalists are afraid of being litigated of defamation in case the situation and story turns out not what it initially appears to be.
It’s in quotes because they weren’t fully paid for.
Punching them softly
🎵with his song…
That makes me think of this. Not too painful but definitely humiliating.
You know the irony of this picture is that in the early 90’s myself and eight others tricked out a cargo container with scaffold build bunks on a job. We were not alone in doing this. We paid the plant we were working at a very small amount of money for electricity and used the showers in their plant locker room. We were of course being paid and were free to run to town anytime. We had large cookouts on any days off we had. Which were very few. Good times. I remember a week in Vegas after we finally got laid off.
Those poor souls though if they were forced to live like that need to be compensated.
I think the destinction between the chinese firm constructing the site and BYD itself is quite important here. I am absolutely not a fan of chinese car manufacturers but its just not the same as if BYD was operating the site right now and this news came to light
If you outsource your work, you outsource your reputation. BYD is absolutely responsible for the conditions of the workers.
Outsourcing your slavery dosen’t make it any better.
Some would argue that this is precisely why they ‘outsource’ just like mobsters do. It gives plausible deniability.
Absolutely, ignorance is tantamount to complicity. Especially since BYD will earn a profit on their slave labor.
The site is not yet in operation. That has nothing to do with outsourcing… Its maybe bad supervision, but honestly most manufacturers fall in that category
It’s not “outsourcing” in the common use of the term, but it’s establishing plausible deniability between the brand and the practice, which is “outsourcing” in an ironic sense.
That said, I find the deniability completely implausible. BYD would be intimately aware of the progress and happenings on that site.
The slave labor is building the site.
It is the same, sorry. When you hire a third party to build or expand your business, you’re accountable for what happens under your nose. Simply pointing fingers to outsourced work as if it were beyond one’s control does not cut here. If you wish to operate in Brazil, you must comply with local legislation. And stating that some companies break the law is the same as saying that some people are turning a blind eye to the legislation, too. BYD management must choose which side of the legal fence they want to be. Cheers!
All of those chip factories Congress is funding building in the US? Congress is also trying to pass legislation to import underpaid Taiwanese labor for them. I expect the conditions won’t be better.
prolly worthy of a whole 'nather post rather than derailing this one that isn’t about the US nor Taiwan.
My point is, it’s a trend we’re seeing in exploitation of factory workers where countries are trying to bring back manufacturing from China. A lot of the domestic manufacturing in Brazil is due to the high import tariffs, which is gaining popularity here in the states, so I expect we’ll see an increase of this kinda exploitation.
But yeah, you’re probably right.
Ah, I’ve asked my late dad’s friend recently how did it happen that my dad left Samsung (he didn’t tell me), and it was generally the same story about the famed Asian work ethic. Hardly compatible with correctness, having dignity and not being a snitch.
