REDES SINDICAIS METALÚRGICAS NO BRASIL

estudo de caso da Rede Arcelor Mittal

Abstract

This article represents part of the master’s thesis that analyzes the union networks per company as instruments of organization of metallurgical workers in Brazil. The characteristics of these networks were explored, in what context they arise and how they operate, especially in the metallurgical sector. These instruments are made up of groups of workers from a certain transnational company that communicate permanently and build actions that aim to reduce the differences in working conditions between different company plants at the national and/or international level. Some crucial points were addressed to understand them: a brief historical review of international unionism; the influence of European unionism in Brazil, in relation to the construction of networks; the organization of the official Brazilian union structure; the role of CUT and CNM/CUT in the construction and organization of networks. In addition to the theoretical construction, the Workers' Union Network at ArcelorMittal, reports of meetings of this network, documents produced throughout its activities and semi-structured interviews with its members and coordinators were analyzed. At the end, findings about the functionality of this instrument of union organization were pointed out, as well as reflections and perspectives for an alternative to confront the inequalities produced in the world of work for metallurgists.

Keywords: Globalization. Union networks. Unions. Workers.