Novas e velhas questões: revisando a historiografia sobre Volta Redonda (RJ)

Abstract

Resumo. O artigo revisa a literatura sobre a cidade industrial de Volta Redonda (RJ) e recupera os principais temas abordados em mais de 20 anos de produção acadêmica. A relação capital-trabalho; a ideologia modernizadora de Getúlio Vargas e as implicações da Consolidação das Leis do Trabalho (CLT); a construção do espaço urbano; as transformações no sindicalismo brasileiro e a ascensão do "neoliberalismo" compõem, em conjunto com acontecimentos marcantes como a greve que paralisou a cidade em 1988, a privatização da Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) e a desmobilização de um projeto sindical, uma literatura que acompanha tendências e transformações das Ciências Sociais no Brasil. Aliada a esta constatação, abre-se uma possibilidade de que, a partir daquilo já produzido, se possa dar continuidade à agenda de pesquisa e explorar períodos ainda pouco discutidos da cidade, como a fase posterior à privatização da CSN.Palavras-chave: cidade, política, trabalho, sindicalismo, Volta Redonda.Abstract. Th is paper reviews the literature on the industrial city of Volta Redonda (RJ) and recovers the main topics discussed in over twenty years of academic production. Th e capital-labor relationship; the modernization ideology of Getúlio Vargas and the consequences of the Brazilian labor laws; the construction of the urban space; changes in Brazilian unionism; and the rise of "neoliberalism", which, along with events like the strike of 1988, the privatization of Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) and the demobilization of a labor union project, are dealt with by a literature that follows the trends and changes in Brazilian Social Sciences. Th is conclusion, along with what has been produced so far, open up a possibility to continue the research agenda and to explore periods of the city that have been little discussed, such as the aftermath of CSN's privatization.

Work and Livelihoods

“…At the same time, outsourcing was incentivized, especially in the area of maintenance. The reduction of the CSN workforce, a process which was initiated before the privatization of the company (Lima 2010), caused high levels of tension and conflict, leading to a large number of dismissals. However, despite all of those unfavorable conditions for the reproduction of the labor force, the migrant population of the city was not discouraged, as the city continued to attract migrants, converting it into a pole for the services industry.…”

“…At the same time, automation intensified the individual workload while reducing the number of workers. Therefore, as an outcome of the aforementioned changes, this generation experienced moments of massive dismissal before and after privatization (Lima 2010).…”

“…(Lopes 1988), in that the system I describe here incorporates the different classes that compose the factory (workmen, technician and engineers) from the outset. 4 There is interesting bibliographical material about Volta Redonda and CSN; Lima (2010) presents a review of the available bibliography. Especially important are the works of Morel (1989), Lask (1991), Lopes et all (2004), Dias (2010), Graciolli (2007), Dinius (2011) and Mangabeira (1993).…”