2,270 rescued from slave labor in Brazil in 2011

BRASILIA—Some 2,270 people, most of them farm workers, were rescued from slave labor in Brazil last year and 294 employers found to be responsible were blacklisted, the Labor Ministry said Tuesday.

“We have never had so many employers blacklisted” for engaging in such illegal practices, Alexandre Teixeira, the ministry’s official tasked with eradicating slave labor, said in a statement.

Brazilian authorities define slave labor as work carried out under degrading health, food and housing conditions and with pay below the minimum monthly wage of $336.

Most of the victims were people who were tricked by traffickers into working on sugar cane plantations or in other farm activities.

But there have been increased complaints of urban workers, especially foreigners, being exploited by garment suppliers working for foreign firms.

“We are taking action against urban slave labor and we are committed to stepping up our crackdown,” Teixeira added.

In 2004, Brazil drew up a “dirty list” of employers accused of slave labor, which is updated every six months.

Companies or individuals blacklisted face sanctions which range from fines to denial of credit from government banks and restrictions on the sale of their products for at least two years.