The government of Bahia reported having mobilized federal, state and municipal public bodies to welcome Bahians rescued from conditions and work analogous to slavery in Bento Gonçalves, in the Serra do Rio Grande do Sul. The information was disclosed in a note published on Saturday night (25).
Last Friday (24), 184 of the 207 rescued had already started their return trip to Bahia. Another four Bahians preferred to remain in RS. Also part of the group of rescued people are nine gauchos who returned to their hometowns, the cities of Montenegro, Carazinho, Rio Grande, Marau and Portão.
The age of the victims varies between 18 and 57 years. The advisory of the Secretariat of Justice and Human Rights (SJDH) also reported on Friday that the secretary of the portfolio, Felipe Freitas, spoke to the secretary from Rio Grande do Sul of the same portfolio. He signaled the government’s willingness to carry out actions that reduce the damage caused to workers.
For this, an articulation is being carried out involving SJDH, the Secretariats of Assistance and Social Development (Seades), Health (Sesab), Public Security (SSP), in addition to the Public Defender of the State, the Public Ministry of Bahia, the Ministry of Labor (MPT) Employment and Income (MTE) and municipal assistance secretariats.
In this sense, the secretary also points out that a team is oriented to prepare a report and articulate the protection network to analyze how the recruitment of these workers on a large scale in Bahia is carried out and, in this way, intensify actions in this area.
remember the case
On Wednesday night (22), the Federal Highway Police (PRF) called on workers in a situation similar to slavery in Bento Golçalves, in Serra do RS. According to information from the PRF, workers were caught in “degrading conditions”.
The person responsible for the company, which kept the workers in these conditions, was arrested and initially taken to the Federal Police (PF) station in Caxias do Sul.
After that, he was transferred to a prison in Bento Gonçalves. He is 45 years old and is from Valença, in the lower south of Bahia. Also according to the PRF, the company contracts with several wineries and provides administrative support services.
The workers would have been hired to work in the grape harvest. The company and the workers signed an agreement with the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT). As a result, each worker received, for the time being, R$500 to make the return trip home. The amount must be paid by next Tuesday (28), via bank deposit.
According to the MPT, it is also established in the Conduct Adjustment Term (TAC) that the responsible entrepreneur must present proof of payments under penalty of filing a public civil action for collective moral damages.
In addition, if he does not comply with the determination, he must pay a fine corresponding to 30% of the amount due. So far, the total calculation of severance pay exceeds R$1 million.