Working Time in Brazil

Abstract

This article investigates the evolution of working time in Brazil from the standpoint of past history and present changes. Past history is summarized in a scheme of two processes, the first resulting in the construction of a pattern of long working hours, and the second including several changes whose basic meaning is not yet totally defined, but include a deregulation process with the introduction of time flexibility inside workplaces. A detailed analysis of contemporary changes is offered, leading to an interpretation based on the hypothesis of a deep reorganization of the labor force as businesses go into overall restructuring processes. The transition from the category of job to the category of work provides an illuminating insight into the nature of the changes underway. The article concludes with an analytical discussion about the use of the category of social praxis as a means to grasp processes that define and change working time arrangements in society.