Brazil: Authorities seek a US$5 million fine against Prosegur

Publié: 19 Mars 2015
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Brazilian Prosecutor: "State companies contracting Prosegur are also victims"

The Attorney General’s Office in Brazil is seeking a fine of US$5 million against Prosegur for  1,768 labour violations in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The irregularities center on excessive working hours in the state that do not comply with Brazilian law. Authorities have ordered Prosegur to adjust their shifts patterns into line with legal requirements, and a issued a suspended fine of US$ 6,600 per day if the judicial order is not complied with.  

According to the Attorney General’s Office, one Prosegur employee worked 18 days in a row including one shift of 18 hours. There were an excessive amount of overtime hours required by Prosegur, inadequate rest periods between two shifts, no paid rest day after six consecutive days of work, and meal and rest breaks of less than one hour.

The Labour Prosecutor who brought the action against Prosegur, Ilena Neiva, said, “the alarming number of incidents reveals a disrespect for labour legislation, the health, security and lives of workers, especially when it comes to the activity that security guards undertake, which is naturally dangerous”.

Prosegur was also convicted for not having a health and safety committee in accordance with Brazilian law, and not undertaking medical examinations on its workers, despite the fact that some employees had been on sick leave due to mental health disorders caused by work stress.

The Labour Award that regulates working hours in private security in the state of Rio Grande do Norte stipulates that employees who work 12 hours in a day should then have 36 hours of rest following each shift, something that was not being implemented for Prosegur workers.

The Prosecutor from the Office of the Attorney General believes that clients are also “victims” of Prosegur. “Instead of resting, the employee worked more, without any control from the public bodies and enterprises that contract the service, and who are also victims, as they receive a tired security guard, unable to protect their capital”.