Relações de trabalho no serviço social: determinações sócio-históricas da profissão na contemporaneidade

Abstract

The process of reconfiguring work is part of a set of structural and conjunctural transformations taking place in the productive sphere and in labor relations, in the context of capital's structural crisis, which restructure social protection systems and social policies, consequently impacting on the professional work of social workers. Thus, characterizing professionals with new meanings, or as Raichelis (2018) puts it, configuring a “new morphology of work in Social Work”. Based on this assumption, there is a need to analyze the context of work relations in Social Work and the changes in the form and content of professional work. The conjecture is that work in Social Work is not autonomous from structural and conjunctural determinations. Thus, the main object of this research is work relations in Social Work, given that the general objective is to understand the impact of the new expressions of work on the professional category. As part of the research method, bibliographic and documentary analysis was used, since we can see some of the demands imposed by the object of study, with the aim of understanding how the various forms of flexible contracting are applied to social workers. This allowed us to carry out an in-depth reading, in which it was possible to discern the ideas, concepts and categories that form the basis for an understanding of reality. Thus, it was observed that these new manifestations of work affect all segments of society, i.e. it is a reality that applies both to the most qualified sectors of the labor market and to the areas that perform activities in general. It is important to highlight the scientific relevance of this study for the field of Social Sciences and Humanities, especially for the Social Work profession, due to the importance of the topic. Through this study, it was possible to gain an initial understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the professional work of social workers. Finally, it should be emphasized that the topic still needs further scientific research, as this was just an introduction to the debate.