The Minister of Labor and Employment (MTE), Luiz Marinho, signed this Wednesday afternoon (24th), in Porto Alegre (RS), the “Pact for the Adoption of Good Labor Practices in Viticulture in Rio Grande do Sul”, with measures to ensure decent work and combat work similar to slavery in the sector.
The ceremony was held at the Plenarinho of the Legislative Assembly of Rio Grande do Sul. On the initiative of the MTE, the document was also signed by the Federation of Wine Cooperatives of Rio Grande do Sul (Fecovinho), by the Federation of Salaried and Salaried Rural Workers of Rio Grande do Sul (Fetar/RS), by the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT ) and the International Labor Organization (ILO).
“We signed the pact to prevent this from happening again. More than that, let it serve as an example, let it serve as an experience so that other sectors of the economy do not go through the same tragedy of finding work analogous to slavery”, said the minister after signing .
As Luiz Marinho pointed out, it is unacceptable to talk about work analogous to slavery in Brazil. “The pact is an effort, not only by the government and companies, but it must be an effort by all of society to eradicate this very perverse practice. It hurts everyone and especially the country’s image in the international community. we want work analogous to slavery. We need a new pattern of behavior in Brazilian society,” he said.
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The signing took place two months after the minister’s first visit to RS, on March 20 and 21. On the occasion, he made a schedule of meetings and meetings in Bento Gonçalves, Caxias do Sul and Porto Alegre, a month after the rescue of 207 outsourced workers in a situation analogous to slavery, during the grape harvest for the Aurora, Salton and Garibaldi, in Bento Gonçalves.
State ranks second not national ranking
Rio Grande do Sul ranks second in the country where the illegal practice had more workers rescued in 2023, with 296 people, behind only Goiás, which had 372 rescues. From the beginning of the year to date, 1201 workers from work analogous to slavery have been rescued across the country.
With 14 clauses, the pact seeks to promote decent work and the improvement of relations and working conditions in the viticulture of the state, through the dissemination of guidelines and information that promote a healthy, safe work environment and with compliance with legal standards throughout the sector’s production chain.
Before signing the pact, minister Luiz Marinho had a meeting with the president of the RS Legislative Assembly, Vilmar Zanchin (MDB), together with state deputies Matheus Gomes (PSOL), Laura Sito (PT), Bruna Rodrigues (PCdoB) , Pepe Vargas (PT) and Adão Pretto Filho (PT) for delivery of the final report of the Serra Gaúcha Operation, which assesses the operating conditions of the state system to combat degrading work in the state and proposes measures to eradicate work analogous to slavery and promotion of decent work in the viticulture sector.
Meeting with deputies to deliver the final report on Operation Serra Gaúcha / Photo: Debora Beina/Alergs
“We have to have a dialogue with the whole society involved”
For the executive director of the Federation of Wine Cooperatives of Rio Grande do Sul (Fecovinho), Hélio Luiz Marchioro, the signing of the pact represents a great opportunity to build clearer, more transparent working relationships at a new level. “For that, there is no way we can deny reality. The reality is that of a development model that, in a way, takes advantage of this particularity of labor relations, we have no solution for labor relations with regard to seasonal work. Seasonal work is not resolved”, he highlighted, emphasizing that slave labor has to be denounced and fought.
“There is no objective of repeating practices in this way. And that is the commitment we are assuming with this pact. It is also the commitment to build new relationships with the Ministry of Labor”, stated Marchioro.
The president of the Federation of Salaried and Salaried Rural Workers of Rio Grande do Sul (Fetar/RS), Nelson Wild, defended that harvest hiring be carried out via the National Employment System, Sine. “That employers comply with the legislation, adopt good practices with labor relations, decent work, starting with the hiring of labor, which is via the national employment system. We have to implement this legislation that we have. And if it is not enough, we will seek to create new alternatives that do not subtract the right from our wage earners. We are on this journey together”, he said.
Representative of the International Labor Organization (ILO), Vinícius Carvalho Pinheiro highlighted that in Brazil and in other parts of the world there has been a great setback to fundamental labor rights, as well as in relation to racial discrimination, in relation to immigrants, women, indigenous populations. “As well as the weakening of union representation institutions. And finally, the number of rescues of workers working in a situation analogous to slavery is increasing.”
According to the report Global Slavery Index 2023, by the Walk Free organization, Brazil ranks 11th in the world ranking of slavery. In September 2022, Walk Free had already disclosed that, worldwide, it is estimated that 50 million people were subjected to conditions that constituted contemporary slavery, in 2021, with 12 million children and the majority (54%) of women and girls.
“This is a moment of historical relevance. What we have here today is a concrete pact of social dialogue”, stated Vinícius.
According to the report Global Slavery Index 2023, by the Walk Free organization, Brazil ranks 11th in the world ranking of slavery / Photo: Debora Beina/Alergs
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Along the same lines, the Labor Attorney General, José de Lima Ramos Pereira, highlighted the need to have a social dialogue involving the whole of society. “We have to bear in mind that this pact will only be signed paper if it is not taken forward. The execution of the pact is necessary. We will be careful for this pact to take place, and it needs to exist without withdrawing rights. I am sure that all those involved are committed to make it work, because it will reach everyone”, pointed out the representative of the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT).
The prosecutor pointed out that since 2017 there has been an increase in numbers related to slave labor. “It is no coincidence that outsourcing increased with the labor reform, as if outsourcing were the solution to all the country’s problems. Outsourcing will not solve the problem of informality, of living wages, it will not solve the problem of slave labor. Outsourcing is an important instrument of the economy, but without removing jobs. And employers have to supervise the contract and the day-to-day work. There is a need for a change in legislation so that these practices do not occur”, he stressed.
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Representing Governor Eduardo Leite (PSDB), the Secretary for Work and Professional Development, Gilmar Sossella (PDT), informed that the government carried out an active search for workers after the discovery of cases of work analogous to slavery in the state. “We carried out an active search for workers and provided assistance with receiving compensation, special unemployment insurance and reintegration into the market,” he said. He also recalled the technical cooperation agreement signed with the MPT, in March, to intensify supervision and the promotion of public policies to prevent new episodes.
“Is it our mission to free workers, workers in conditions analogous to slavery? No. Our mission is to eliminate this condition, to prevent it from happening” / Photo: Debora Beina/Alergs
Time to create opportunities
At the end of the contract signing ceremony, Minister Luiz Marinho highlighted the moment of tension in society and exacerbated hatred. “From 2017 to 2022, we had a growing number of workers in situations analogous to slavery. This year, more than 1,200 workers were freed. Is it our mission to free workers in conditions analogous to slavery? No. Ours mission is to eliminate this condition, prevent it from happening. We will only have this success if Brazilian society unites as we are uniting”, he said.
He also highlighted that from 2003 to 2014, a gradual process had been working to end this condition. “The coup against Dilma happened, the result of the 2018 elections that led to a period of darkness. We have to join hands to rebuild a pattern of working relationships.”
Marinho also pointed out the recent problem of non-payment of employees by the company Mater Clean, responsible for cleaning the headquarters of the parliament in Rio Grande do Sul. According to the press office, the company has already been fined for the delay and should have the contract terminated in the next few days, after the time set for sanctions has elapsed.
When meeting with the state deputies who delivered the final report of the External Representation Commission, the minister stated that he will evaluate the document, adding that there will be a public tender at the MTE to fill the lack of servants pointed out by the deputies and also by the trade union centrals. It has been ten years since new employees have been hired to monitor working conditions and run administrative services.
The pact can be checked through this link.
* With information from MTE and CUT-RS
Source: BdF Rio Grande do Sul
Editing: Katia Marko
