Reestruturação produtiva no setor sucroalcooleiro e os impactos no sindicalismo rural: um estudo de caso no município de Ituiutaba/MG na década de 2000

Abstract

This paper aims to identify and reflect the rural unionism in the expansion of sugar industry in the Triangulo Mineiro region. In this universe we chose the Rural Workers Union of Ituiutaba - MG as a thread of research, for believing in the potential of this analytical unit to shed light and reveal the intricacies and social impacts included in the process of productive restructuring of this sector in the 2000s. The aim was to show that despite the discourse of modernization of the sector and qualification of the workforce is, paradoxically, increased the degree of exploitation of workers, precarious working conditions and living standards of workers, use of migrant labor that has reflected negatively in representative capacity, organizational and mobilization of rural unions. The methodology was a literature review, field research through visits to sugarcane mills and an interview with the Rural Workers Union of Ituiutaba - MG. The conclusion reached is that large governmental investments, seeking the modernization of this sector, have not guaranteed improvements in working conditions and lives of the vast majority of workers involved in the production process, mainly in the harvesting of sugar cane. Featuring steep unemployment, the temporal nature of employment contracts, increased demands for productivity and insecurity for the working class. These factors hinder the performance of the rural workers union and reinforces the legalistic nature of the coping mechanisms of economic and social impacts of productive restructuring of this sector.