Landless Workers Movement vandalizes Salton’s wine store in São Paulo

On Wednesday afternoon, the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST) vandalized Salton’s wine store in São Paulo.

Only women participated in the demonstration, which took place on Pacaembu Avenue in the west zone of the capital.

The space became famous for the name Enoteca Família Salton.

The landless people threw red paint on the building’s façade, shouted slogans, and held up banners against agribusiness.

According to the militants, the sector “profits from hunger and violence.”

The act occurred exactly on International Women’s Day.

This Wednesday’s demonstration was part of the National Day of Struggle of Landless Women, which takes place annually.

The date includes mobilizations, protests, and training actions for militants.

ACCUSATIONS AGAINST WINERIES

Accused of using labor analogous to slavery, three wineries from Rio Grande do Sul have manifested jointly to reject the accusations.

The companies are among the leading producers in Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul.

“We would never be silent or fail to adopt concrete measures to address the fact that occurred in our region,” said the entities representing the sector.

The complaint came to light on February 22 through the outsourced company Fênix Serviços de Apoio Administrativo.

The company provides services to Aurora, Cooperativa Garibaldi, and Salton wineries, among others.

According to the accusation, three workers sought the police to say they were being held against their will in a lodging in Bento Gonçalves.

A police operation on the same day identified another 200 people in a similar situation, classified as slave-like labor.

Fênix has been operating in the region for ten years.

Also, according to the complaint, there was “extortion, threats, aggression and torture” against the workers.

The fact was unknown by the wineries.

“The contract was for truck unloading services and followed all the requirements contained in the legislation in force,” reported Cooperativa Garibaldi.

According to sources heard by Revista Oeste, the winery hired only 15 outsourced workers from Fênix in this harvest.

The largest contractor was Vinícola Aurora.

“The occurrence deserves total repudiation from all those who value human dignity,” said the entities and wineries. “The occurrence does not represent the practices of the industry.”

With information from Revista Oeste