PRECARIOUS WORK IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: REFLECTIONS IN LIGHT OF SPECIALIZED LITERATURE AND RELEVANT LEGISLATION

Abstract

This research addresses the precariousness of work in the construction industry: reflections in light of specialized literature and relevant legislation. The following question is posed: How does the precariousness of work in the construction industry affect workers and how do labor legislation and specialized literature explain and address this phenomenon? It examines the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT), Regulatory Standards (NRs), especially NR-18, and the 2017 Labor Reform, which increased the precariousness of labor relations by making labor rights more flexible and allowing greater outsourcing. Despite the existence of protective standards, their effectiveness is hampered by the lack of adequate oversight and the organization of precarious contracts in the sector. In addition, the work highlights the consequences of precariousness, which include job insecurity, high rates of accidents and occupational diseases, and the negative impact on workers' self-esteem and quality of life. The critical analysis points to the need for a restructuring of public policies, with an emphasis on monitoring and strengthening union organization, to ensure better working conditions and greater protection for construction workers. This study concludes that precariousness in the sector is the result of a combination of economic and social factors that favor cost reduction at the expense of workers' rights, and that a joint effort between society, the State and workers is necessary to reverse this situation of lack of protection.