Photo: Arthur Maia de Carvalho
From Mato Grosso to North Carolina, the meat industry has been closely tied to the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic across the world. The Brazilian Report has shown how the meat industry helped spread the coronavirus through the interior of Brazil. The industry is once again back in the news after JBS — the largest meat-processing company in the world — faces demands from unions to compensate employees infected by the coronavirus in the line of duty.
In a new civil lawsuit, unions want compensation of BRL 200,000 for every infected worker and BRL 100,000 for other workers exposed to the virus in contaminated plants.
According to the lawsuit, a JBS pork factory in the Dourados municipality (Mato Grosso do Sul) saw 1,075 of its 4,300 employees testing positive for the coronavirus. Union lawyers allege that JBS failed to provide sufficient protective equipment or sanitary conditions at the workplace, providing only half-hearted measures, while upping the pressure to increase productivity at the plant.
The lawsuit follows numerous controversies in the sector, as customers in China have canceled orders due to fear of sanitary conditions at Brazilian meat plants. Meanwhile, labor prosecutors across Brazil have filed dozens of motions to force companies to comply with industry safety standards, but these have met with little success.
Support this coverage →The specialization trend among corporate board members It is not only a matter of perception:…
Panama will hold its presidential elections on Sunday, months after huge protests saw thousands descend…
The city of Rio de Janeiro estimates that a Madonna concert this Saturday on Copacabana…
Latin America’s trend of banning opposition candidates from elections has caught on in an ever-growing…
The São Paulo City Council on Thursday approved legislation authorizing Brazil’s largest city to sign…
The preliminary report on AI regulations presented to Brazil’s Senate last week provides a middle-of-the-road…