One of the grave social injustices practiced on a daily basis in Brazil is that of crafty and astute businessmen swindling poor and simple workers of their just wages. These honest laborers, who spend long and arduous hours in the factories to support their families, find themselves cheated in the end with no pay given to them. It is a common crime in Brazil and committed mostly by European executives. Their diabolical scheme is planned to a button and works in the following manner:
Rich enterprisers from Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Eastern Europe, etc will come to Brazil looking for a piece of land to rent. They usually choose a spot that is far from the city so that no one can interfere or snoop on their activities. They do this also to avoid paying taxes to the government. They set up their business or factory and invite the poor to come and work for them, promising benefits and good wages. The people, hungry for jobs, accept gladly the proposal. The months go by and business prospers. The executives are able to receive the high profits they wanted to make. They do not pay the workers, though, telling them to be patient since the money is needed to invest in the business and pay off debts. The months go by and nothing is given to the laborers. The workers grumble and complain and become anxious to receive what is their just due and salary, since they have families to take care of.
At the opportune moment, the executives close down the factory in a lightning speed, declare bankruptcy, take their machines and move quickly away from the area. They simply disappear and no one knows where they went to. The workers attempt to have their rights vindicated by the judicial branch, but the lawyers and judges tell them it will be a few years before their case can be heard. Of course, they already had been paid off by the astute European enterprisers. Dismay, hate, revolt, despair, sadness and anger are the feelings that remain with the swindled workers. Is it no wonder then, that Sao Paulo is a city more violent than Baghdad and more people die from assaults and robbery here than the Iraqis do from their terrorism? Diadema has thousands of businesses that practice this ugly sin of withholding wages from a worker and not paying him. It is so common that people have become indifferent to it. Once one of these criminal businesses moves away from the region, they look for another one to repeat their same injustice. Some of these executives even congratulate themselves for having taking advantage of the poor and simple and laugh with glee at their misfortune and misery.
The French commit their crime a bit differently (as they do in everything). They will open a business and invite everyone without distinction to work. This makes people happy and they fill the place with their presence. With time, the French executives will select the better laborers and send the rest away. After a few more months, they will demand that the ones who remained to show more results for their work, or else their salary will be cut and they dismissed. This turns the worker neurotic. He knows that if, for example, he does not sell 35 shoes in a day, he will lose his job or have his wages reduced. If he was only able to sell 30 shoes, then he won’t sleep at night worrying about someone else who will replace him in his job.
The only companies that Brazilians admire and respect are the American ones. The American businesses do not withhold any wages, but pay faithfully every week or month and give extra benefits to the workers. They do not exploit nor swindle anyone and even give a better salary than Brazilians receive from their own. In this sense, they are a good example of honesty, justice and truthfulness in the business world. Is it any wonder that Brazilians all want to go to America to work in peace?
Anthony Mellace
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