"Exclusive: Chinese workers in BYD Brazil factory signed contracts with abusive clauses, investigators say", 31 January 2025

...The Chinese workers hired by BYD contractor Jinjiang in Brazil had to hand over their passports to their new employer, let most of their wages be sent directly to China, and fork over an almost $900 deposit that they could only get back after six months' work, according to a labor contract seen by Reuters.

The three-page document, signed by one of 163 workers who labor inspectors said were freed from "slavery-like conditions" last month, includes clauses that violate labor laws in both Brazil and China, according to Brazilian investigators and three Chinese labor law experts.

Other previously unreported clauses gave the firm the power to unilaterally extend the labor contract for six months and issue 200 yuan fines for conduct such as swearing, quarreling or walking around shirtless at the site or in their living quarters...

Jinjiang, which works on BYD factory construction across China...has disputed the allegations, saying the findings by Brazilian labor inspectors are inconsistent with the facts and the result of confused translations."The claim that Jinjiang's employees were 'enslaved' and 'rescued' is totally off base," said Jinjiang in a statement last month.

Alexandre Baldy, senior vice president for BYD Brasil, told Reuters the carmaker had no knowledge of any violations until the first reports by Brazilian media in late November, when BYD contacted Jinjiang about the allegations...

Hundreds of Chinese workers are still working at the construction site alongside Brazilians, union leaders told Reuters. Union officials say the Brazilian employees complained this month of irregularities at the site, including a lack of drinking water.

...[T]he local construction workers union, Sindticcc, has decided to sue both BYD and Jinjiang over past violations...