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Brazil Judge Orders JBS Poultry Unit Added to Official 'Dirty List' Over Slave-like Labor

Judge Katarina Roberta Mousinho de Matos ordered the government to add JBS Aves, the company's poultry unit, to Brazil's official "dirty list" after inspectors found 10 workers in slavery-like conditions, including 16-hour shifts and lack of clean drinking water. The judge ruled that Labor Minister Luiz Marinho's intervention to block the listing was unlawful and motivated by economic concerns. The Labor Ministry plans to appeal; JBS says it suspended and terminated the contractor involved.

09:21 AM, 12/04/2025Politics
Brazil Judge Orders JBS Poultry Unit Added to Official 'Dirty List' Over Slave-like Labor

A federal labor judge in Brazil has ordered the government to add a poultry unit of meatpacker JBS to the country's official "dirty list" of employers found responsible for subjecting workers to slavery-like conditions.

The decision follows a federal inspection last year that found 10 people working in slavery-like conditions for a contractor hired to load and unload cargo at JBS Aves in Rio Grande do Sul state. Inspectors documented shifts as long as 16 hours, housing without access to clean drinking water, and unlawful deductions from wages that hindered workers' ability to leave.

Under Brazilian law, the definition of slavery covers forced labor, debt bondage, degrading work conditions and excessively long hours that endanger workers' health. Labor prosecutors opened a lawsuit after the Labor Minister, Luiz Marinho, intervened to block the unit's inclusion by ordering an unusual final review of the investigation.

In her ruling, Judge Katarina Roberta Mousinho de Matos said Marinho's decision to prevent the listing was unlawful and driven by concerns about economic repercussions rather than legal grounds. The judge ordered the government to add the JBS poultry unit to the list and to reinstate two smaller firms that had been removed using the same ministerial review.

Listing on the dirty list lasts for two years. Beyond reputational damage, listed companies may be barred from accessing certain types of loans from Brazilian banks, a restriction that can carry serious financial consequences.

JBS said it suspended the contractor, terminated the contract and blocked the company from its operations after learning of the allegations. The Labor Ministry said it will appeal the judge's decision as soon as it is formally notified.

JBS employs roughly 158,000 people in Brazil. Its Seara division, which operates JBS Aves, reported net revenue of $2.3 billion for the July–September quarter, about 10% of the company's total.

Reporting by Fabio Teixeira; additional reporting by Ana Mano.

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