Name: JOAQUIM FRANCISCO DE OLIVEIRA NETO
Publication date: 28/05/2019
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| ELOÍSIO MOULIN DE SOUZA | Internal Examiner * |
Summary: Privatization, when made feasible in large numbers (as re-emerged in the Temer/MDB
government, and continues in the Bolsonaro/PSL government), without consistent measures of
viability, regulation and transparency, generates impacts in several spheres of life, especially
labor. Privatization with set of neoliberal measures, weakens labor relationship and precarious
even more labor conditions, making multidimensional psychosocial impacts and (re)shaping
workers' political consciousness about resistance. In this context, trade unions stand out as
organizations involved in the anti-privatization struggle, mitigating the impacts on the Labor
World. Given this, the objective was to understand how the political conscience and the
participation of trade unionists in collective actions against privatization in Espírito Santo (ES)
during the Temer Government (2016-2018). The theoretical frame used was the Analytical
Model of the Political Awareness for Understanding Participation in Collective Actions
(SANDOVAL; SILVA, 2016). An exploratory methodology was used, with a qualitative
methodology, applying semi-structured interviews with 10 trade unionists from different
sectors who are facing the imminence of privatization in the ES. Content Analysis (BARDIN,
2006) was used to analyze interviews, by means of categories scaled in the theoretical Model.
The results revealed, among other contributions: (1) to comprehend the identity dynamics of
trade unionists; (2) to realize that the struggle of trade unionists against privatization goes
beyond the bases, the struggle is for change also in the social sphere; (3) identify the latent and
recursive interests surrounding privatization; (4) identify groups wronged by privatization; (5)
to verify that trade unionists seek greater awareness and mobilization of workers and society
for the effectiveness of collective action; (6) to demonstrate how the unionists' engagement in
the anti-privatization movement is configured; (7) present the mobilization strategies and
challenges for the construction of a consolidated anti-privatization movement in ES.
Furthermore, with the support of a (inter)national literature review on the impacts of
privatization in the world of work, resistance and confrontation, together with the theoretical
reference, it was possible to identify three different types of political awareness of trade
unionists, as well as contributions for the field of organizational studies in the field of work. It
was concluded that the trade unionists have: first, a defensive political conscience, which values
the defense and maintenance of labor rights; second, of a combative political conscience,
contemplated by the union representatives of state-owned companies; third, of a utopian
political consciousness characterized by an emancipatory vision for society and of combating
social inequalities and injustices because they believe that privatization deliberately impacts
fragile social groups. Finally, it was observed that the anti-privatization movement in the ES is
still scattered and weakly cohesive, needing to face challenges for its future consolidation and
institutionalization.
