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Northeastern Workers Report Non-Payment After Work Stoppage at Hospital in Franca (SP) and Describe Abandonment in Unhygienic Accommodations, Awaiting Salaries and Tickets to Return to Their Home Cities.
At least 12 workers from the Northeast claim to have been left without salary and severance pay after the interruption of work at a private hospital in Franca (SP).
According to information from the G1 portal, they were hired by a subcontractor and worked for about 40 days on-site.
With the breakdown of the agreement between the companies involved, the group says they were left without payment and unable to return home, sheltered in unsanitary accommodations.
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Contract Breakdown Leaves Team Without Salary
According to reports, the main contractor terminated the partnership with the subcontractor due to “problems in the execution of the work.”
The decision interrupted the ongoing service and, according to the workers, also suspended payment for the days worked and severance pay.
The team states that they are awaiting a resolution to receive what is owed and to return to the Northeast, where they have residence and family.
While the situation remains unresolved, the workers remain in makeshift housing. There is a lack of basic items and minimal structure for hygiene and cooking.
One of the construction workers, José Eudis Alves da Silva, who came from Pernambuco for the job, described the conditions by reporting that the group is without essential supplies and incurring out-of-pocket expenses, despite not having been paid.
“We need everything because there’s none; we can’t even do proper cleaning at the place, there’s no toilet paper, we are having to buy everything ourselves without any money. (…) We are abandoned because our boss has disappeared,” he stated.
Accommodations Without Safety and Hygiene Standards
The president of the Construction Workers’ Union, Menisa Pilar, stated that the main company should not have allowed workers to stay in accommodations under those conditions.
According to her, there was a report classifying the space as inadequate to the regulatory standards, yet the workers were kept on the site.
“The accommodation does not meet the regulatory standards. The main company has a report that classified the accommodation’s use as inadequate, yet they still allowed the workers into the site,” she said.
The description made by the workers includes a lack of sufficient furniture, absence of cleaning products, poor restroom conditions, and a need to purchase materials out of their own pockets.
Amidst this scenario, food also became a challenge, as there is no confirmation of regular supply of provisions from the responsible companies.
Human Impact and Uncertainty About Return
The difficulty in covering daily expenses and sending money to their families weighs heavily on the group, who traveled hundreds of kilometers to work.
Many left the Northeast expecting the agreed remuneration and appropriate housing conditions for this type of contract.
Without payment, they report delays in personal commitments and the inability to afford tickets to return to their home cities.
In addition to financial strain, the workers report insecurity about the future.
The expectation is to receive salaries and severance pay related to the worked period, as well as clear guidance on the next steps.
While they wait, they remain in accommodations deemed inappropriate, which, according to the union, contradicts health and safety regulations.
What the Responsible Companies Say
Contacted by EPTV, a TV Globo affiliate, Maximo Aldana Construtora, the main contractor for the project, guaranteed that it will assume the payments for all affected employees.
The company also stated that it will cover the return tickets to their home cities, a commitment the workers await to end their stay in Franca.
Monte Carmelo Engenharia, the subcontractor that hired the workers to work at the hospital, was sought for comment on the situation. As of the last update, there was no response.
The silence leaves essential issues open for the workers, such as deadlines for resolving outstanding payments and clarifications on the responsibility for the conditions of the accommodations.
Union Monitoring and Next Steps
The union states it is monitoring the case and demanding immediate solutions, particularly regarding payment of wages, proportional vacation, proportional 13th salary, and other benefits related to dismissals.
The organization also points out the need to regulate the accommodations, even if temporarily, until all can return home.
The definition of who is responsible for the adequacy of the accommodations is considered central to prevent similar situations from recurring.
According to the union, it is the responsibility of the main contractor to oversee the working conditions provided by the subcontractor and to prevent teams from working in places that do not meet the standards.
The organization emphasizes that the existence of a report of inadequacy would indicate that the structure did not meet the minimum requirements for comfort and safety.
Workers Await Solution to Leave Franca
Without a confirmed payment date, the workers remain in the interior of São Paulo. Some are seeking help from family members to buy basic hygiene and food items.
Others report having sold belongings to cover immediate expenses. The absence of the direct employer in daily communication increases the sense of abandonment described by the workers.
The regularization of salaries and severance pay is seen as a condition for everyone to return to the Northeast.
The main contractor’s promise to cover the tickets and take responsibility for the financial obligations is, so far, the main source of hope for the group. The realization of this commitment is awaited so that the situation can be resolved and the workers can reorganize their lives in their cities.
Legal Issues and Responsibility on Site
Experts consulted by the union often emphasize that, on sites with multiple companies, the main contractor has a duty of vigilance over the conditions provided by subcontractors.
They also remind that accommodations must follow regulatory standards that outline minimum hygiene, safety, and comfort requirements, such as availability of restrooms, adequate cleaning conditions, and basic furniture.
In this case, the existence of a report of inadequacy, cited by union leadership, reinforces the need for immediate measures to correct irregularities.
Oversight and adherence to contractual responsibilities are seen as pathways to prevent the repetition of incidents that expose workers to risks and neglect.
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