{"id":39983,"date":"2025-01-28T14:19:42","date_gmt":"2025-01-28T14:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/conectas.org\/?post_type=noticia&p=39983"},"modified":"2025-01-31T17:16:17","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T17:16:17","slug":"research-points-to-faults-in-the-coffee-chain-that-lead-to-precarious-and-illegal-working-conditions","status":"publish","type":"noticia","link":"https:\/\/conectas.org\/en\/noticias\/research-points-to-faults-in-the-coffee-chain-that-lead-to-precarious-and-illegal-working-conditions\/","title":"Research points to faults in the coffee chain that lead to precarious and illegal working conditions","content":"

On the National Day of the Fight against Slave Labor (28), Conectas is publishing the <\/span>third part of the report<\/span><\/a> \u201cSlave labor in coffee: from farms to multinationals\u201d, which sheds light on labor violations in the global coffee production chain, focusing on Brazil. The study, divided into three parts, is part of the Mind the Gap initiative.<\/span><\/p>\n

The research also points to structural flaws, such as the lack of transparency and governance, which facilitate the irregular outsourcing of manpower, and the <\/span>use of certifications<\/span><\/a> that cover up precarious working conditions. Between 2013 and 2023, the coffee industry went from fourth to first place in the national slave labor ranking, concentrating 11.4% of all victims.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more: <\/h3>\n

Part 1 \u2013 Slave labor in coffee: from farms to multinationals<\/span><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

Part 2 \u2013 Slave labor in coffee: from farms to multinationals<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Even with progress in mechanization, indicators of abusive practices remain high: in 2023, 316 workers were rescued from slave-like conditions, the highest number in 20 years. The report also points to monitoring deficiencies, such as in 2017, when only 88 operations were carried out in all economic sectors, the lowest figure since 2005.<\/span><\/p>\n

Complaints to the National Contact Point<\/b><\/h2>\n

According to the document, in 2018, Conectas and the Articulation of Rural Employees of the State of Minas Gerais (Adere-MG, acronym in Brazilian Portuguese) <\/span>filed a complaint before the National Contact Point (PCN, acronym in Brazilian Portuguese)<\/span><\/a> of Brasil on <\/span>cases of slave-like labor<\/span><\/a> in coffee farms in the South of Minas Gerais, a region that supplies multinationals such as Nestl\u00e9, Jacobs Douwe Egberts JDE), McDonald\u2019s, Dunkin\u2019 Donuts, Starbucks, and Illy. The PCN, responsible for promoting OECD Directives for Multinational Corporations, granted some of the complaints, but lacks effective monitoring mechanisms.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Only Nestl\u00e9 and Dunkin\u2019 Donuts offered to solve the problem and only the former made undertakings in regards to the issue. McDonald\u2019s and JDE refused any negotiations, and the cases involving Starbucks and Illy were dismissed with no possibility to appeal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nestl\u00e9 presented measures that include outside audits to check working conditions on property, consultations with workers\u2019 representatives to identify violations, and the creation of regional forums for employers and workers. Furthermore, the company undertook to disclose the Federal Government\u2019s whistleblower channel, the Yp\u00ea system, in materials exposed at the workplace and in the transportation vehicles offered to the workers.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the company, Nestl\u00e9\u2019s actions are an attempt to promote greater transparency and improve working conditions in the coffee chain, thus responding to recommendations made after complaints of slave labor in Minas Gerais farms.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lack of information and effective monitoring<\/b><\/h2>\n

In an interview with Conectas, Jorge Ferreira dos Santos, a leader of Adere-MG, highlighted that lack of knowledge is one of the greatest obstacles. To him, many rural workers see the conditions they suffer through as being \u201cnatural\u201d and cannot recognize slave labor conditions. \u201cMost rural workers in the coffee industry do not know they are subjected to slave labor\u201d, he stated. This lack of knowledge extends to society, which is still afraid of facing the issue, and to coffee farmers themselves, many of whom are not aware of labor laws and employ people without proper instructions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another critical aspect mentioned by Jorge is the limited structure of the Ministry of Labor. He highlights that the reduced number of tax auditors hinders effective monitoring at the coffee farms spread throughout the country. Besides, he criticizes labor fines, considered low and unable to discourage employers, who treat them merely as part of the cost of doing business. \u201cSlave labor fines are low, and due to being low the employer believes that this practice makes economic sense to them\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

For the leadership, the State needs to address slave labor as a serious offense, including immediate arrests during inspections. He also defends that companies profiting from the coffee production chain should be held accountable and that public policies against social vulnerability should be implemented.<\/span><\/p>\n

 \u201cRescuing workers in itself is not enough to shut the door on slave labor. One of the major challenges we have is the strengthening and survival of grassroots organizations that deal with these workers\u201d, he concluded, emphasizing the importance of a cooperative structure that assures dignity to workers and support to the organizations that fight this practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div>","excerpt":"

On the National Day of the Fight against Slave Labor (28), Conectas is publishing the third part of the report \u201cSlave labor in coffee: from farms to…<\/p>\n","author":26,"featured_media":39964,"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[7],"tags":[1328,120],"tema":[12279],"class_list":["post-39983","noticia","type-noticia","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-coffee","tag-slave-labour","tema-socioenvironmental-rights"],"acf":{"subtitle-pt":"Measurements taken by the entity responsible for OECD guidelines are an attempt to reduce instances of slave labor in farms, but experts point out that the outcomes of negotiations must improve","links_para_referencia":[{"titulo-referencia":"Visit: Slave labor in coffee: from farms to multinationals \u2013 Parte 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