Carolo Mill Employees Allege Non-Payment of Benefits

Employees at the Carolo sugar mill in Pontal, São Paulo, Brazil, have publicly accused the company of failing to pay benefits stipulated in labor agreements, including food vouchers and health insurance. According to the workers, these delays have persisted for at least three months. On Friday morning, approximately 50 employees gathered in front of the mill to protest the non-payment. They even used the mill's trucks to block access, preventing people and vehicles from entering the premises. José da Silva, vice-president of the Sertãozinho Food Workers' Union, informed EPTV (a TV Globo affiliate) that in addition to the delayed benefits, the Carolo mill has also failed to pay employees' FGTS (Severance Indemnity Fund) and 13th-month salary. He emphasized, “We are here because of the lack of payment. Severance fund, 13th-month salary, everything you can think of, the mill is not paying. Especially what is delayed is the voucher; and there is a basic food basket, which is in the form of a food ticket.” Wilson Lucas Duarte de Oliveira, an electrician and employee at the mill, corroborated the situation. He stated that while health insurance premiums were deducted from salaries, the company did not transfer these funds to the insurance provider. He said, “Health insurance was deducted for two months, but it was not transferred, and there have even been reports of people whose pensions were also deducted but not transferred. Our severance fund has not been deposited for one year and two months. And we are demanding this because it makes things difficult for us. Workers face hardship because bills keep coming, and we are left with outstanding debts.” The Carolo mill is the same company that, in November of last year...