Rescued: 59 Laborers Extricated from Exploitative Coffee Farming Conditions in MG
In a series of operations in the first week of August, the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE) rescued a total of 98 workers from conditions analogous to slavery during the coffee harvest in Minas Gerais. The rescued workers were primarily migrants from Bahia, living in makeshift houses in the urban area of Campos Altos without furniture, bedding, or adequate places to prepare or store food.
Six additional slave workers were rescued in Machado and Campestre, where they lacked formal links and endured degrading conditions. The ongoing operations in Minas Gerais are supported by the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT), Federal Police (PF), and Military Police (PM).
Investigations into slave labor conditions during the coffee harvest in Minas Gerais reveal widespread exploitation, including forced labor, debt bondage, child labor, and unpaid wages, even on farms certified as slave-free. These abuses persist despite certification efforts like Rainforest Alliance.
Journalistic investigations, such as "Picked by Slaves: Coffee Crisis Brews in Brazil," highlight that workers, including children as young as 13, endure hazardous conditions and extreme labor exploitation. Certification audits are often announced in advance, infrequent, or insufficient, failing to protect workers adequately. Reports have also exposed slave and child labor on farms supplying major brands, drawing further attention to the issue.
The labor hardships are compounded by economic pressures on small producers in the region, who struggle with low incomes and intense work demands, especially during harvest season, making them vulnerable to exploitative labor practices. Environmental concerns such as the heavy use of dangerous pesticides also affect workers’ health in Minas Gerais coffee farms.
On one farm in Campos Altos, 23 people were rescued. The employer had been caught doing the same thing before. The workers on this property were forced to buy their own work equipment and tools, which is prohibited by law. One of the rescued workers had a broken foot for about a month without any medical attention.
In Correggo Danta, a property kept 30 workers without registration and social protection. There were no bathrooms on the property, exposing everyone to risks and embarrassment, including 14 women. The properties in Machado and Campestre failed to comply with various norms, including the lack of mandatory medical examinations, drinking water, protective equipment, training, and adequate installations for rest and food.
Five of the rescued workers received over R$ 200,000 in back salaries and severance pay. The unique case of the illiterate, long-term slave worker is currently being negotiated to ensure repair and dignified living conditions. One of the rescued workers lived for over 40 years in precarious conditions on a farm, old and illiterate, residing in a construction without sanitation and without access to drinking water. Meals were brought from home and eaten cold on the ground or in the shade of trees, without hygiene facilities, in Correggo Danta.
The coffee harvest in Minas Gerais continues to reveal cases of slave labor, underscoring the need for improved labor regulation, economic support for small producers, and enhanced enforcement efforts to protect workers and eliminate modern slavery from coffee supply chains.
- The ongoing efforts to combat slave labor in Minas Gerais coffee farms, as spearheaded by the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE), involve various therapies and treatments for rescued workers to help them transition into healthier and wellness-focused lifestyles.
- Tackling the issue of slave labor in the coffee industry extends beyond governmental agencies; the media, including social media platforms, play a crucial role in disseminating general news and crime-and-justice reports that highlight these abuses and pressure organizations to improve workplace-wellness standards.
- In addition to the severe labor exploitation faced by coffee workers, mental-health concerns are emerging as workers struggle with the trauma of abuse, with various support groups and therapies being made available to help them cope and heal.
- The entertainment industry has begun to address the issue of labor issues in coffee production, with films and documentaries like "Picked by Slaves: Coffee Crisis Brews in Brazil" bringing awareness to the public and putting pressure on companies to improve their social and environmental practices.
- The connection between politics and the coffee industry in Minas Gerais becomes clear as policymakers endeavor to establish regulations aimed at protecting workers from slave labor while providing economic support to small producers and incentivizing the adoption of health-and-wellness practices in the workplace.
