BYD Faces Abuse Claims at $4.5 Billion Hungary EV Plant as EU Reviews Labor Allegations
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 12
BYD Faces Abuse Claims at $4.5 Billion Hungary EV Plant as EU Reviews Labor Allegations
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 12
More than 50 migrant workers interviewed by China Labor Watch alleged seven-day weeks, excessive overtime, recruitment debt and visa breaches at BYD’s Szeged plant construction site, due to open in 2027.
CLW said subcontracted Chinese workers paid £860 to £2,100 in job fees and some worked full monthly cycles without rest, conditions it said may breach Hungarian and EU labor rules and amount to debt bondage.
The European Commission said it is aware of the claims and was told a case is pending before Hungary’s labor inspectorate; BYD said labor-rights protection is a top priority and contractors must follow Hungarian and EU law.
The scrutiny has intensified after a subcontractor worker died in a Feb. 14 loading-and-crane accident, while local residents in Szeged have voiced concern over health risks, housing pressure and limited public information.
BYD plans about 10,000 workers and 300,000 cars a year at the plant, making Szeged a test case for how Chinese EV investment and imported construction labor will be handled across Europe.
With a 'slave labor' scandal in Hungary, can BYD's plan to dominate Europe's EV market survive new EU rules?
After scandals in Brazil and now Hungary, is alleged forced labor simply part of BYD's global business model?