The company organizing the event was held directly responsible for the exploitation
A task force from the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE) and the Public Ministry of Labor of Rio de Janeiro (MPT-RJ) rescued 14 workers subjected to slavery-like conditions while transporting equipment that provided services for the production of Rock in Rio 2024.
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In the early hours of September 22, a task force of auditors and labor lawyers inspected the event facilities and found the 14 employees sleeping in degrading conditions on cardboard, plastic bags and tarps.
“We found the workers sleeping precariously on tarpaulins and cardboard, it was difficult to wake them up for the interviews, they were very tired”, said Raul Capparelli, labor inspector who participated in the operation.
According to the MPT, the victims worked as transporters of a wide range of objects (grills, “suitcases”, “LEDs”, drinks, barricades, gifts and metal structures), cleaning some spaces and assembling structures.
They were hired with the promise of receiving a daily wage that varied between R$90 and R$150, depending on the number of hours worked. Therefore, many employees doubled shifts for full days in hopes of increasing earnings. Despite the promise of compensation, the amounts were not paid in full.
Some of the rescued workers reported that they showered in the women’s bathroom and removed the handle from the bathroom door so that men would not enter the room. The team checked the bathroom on the ground floor and found it to be very dirty, with several clothes hanging and urine on the floor, among other irregularities.
The workers also said that they remained on site even after the end of the shift, in the early hours of the morning, to “double up”, that is, to start new shifts in the morning of the same day and after having already worked for more than 12 hours.
The MPT found the work to be akin to slavery due to degrading housing conditions, grueling working hours, and forced labor. The Labor Tax Audit issued 21 infringement notices to the contracting company, FBC Backstage Eventos Ltda, and 11 infringement notices to the event organiser, Rock World SA, which was held directly responsible for work similar to the slavery, due to the contractor’s negligence in monitoring compliance with labor regulations.
The rescue of workers is not unprecedented at Rock in Rio. In the 2013 event, 93 workers were rescued from slavery-like conditions at a fast food company. In the 2015 edition, 17 workers were saved, also from a company operating in the food sector. Labor inspectors found that the journey was tiring and that the workers were housed in precarious communities. There were no rest breaks, because the employees had to be able to sell what was set daily. Food and water were not offered and personal documents were withheld.
Source: Terra

Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.