O vírus do capital: as mutações e as inserções da lógica neoliberal nas formas de contratação e a precarização do trabalho docente

Abstract

The present research analyzes the precarization of teaching work, particularly through temporary contracts, from a critical perspective of the capitalist and neoliberal system. The objective is to understand the implications of this hiring model for the lives and work of teachers, addressing the challenges faced by educators in the state and municipal public education networks of Montenegro, RS. The investigation examines how practices of flexibilization and intensification of teaching work directly affect working conditions and the quality of education.To achieve the proposed objectives, a questionnaire was applied to all teachers in the state and municipal networks of Montenegro, and interviews were conducted with five teachers who provided detailed accounts of the working conditions faced in temporary teaching positions. The data reveal that the increase in atypical hiring has become an increasingly common and widespread practice. Temporary hiring is seen as a cost-effective solution for the education system, but it creates an environment of insecurity, overload, and professional devaluation.The testimonies of the interviewed teachers show how these hiring modalities contribute to the precarization of teaching work, with professionals facing a lack of stability, reduced salaries, absence of benefits, and restrictions on basic rights, such as leave for family care. The pressure to assume multiple responsibilities and the lack of labor guarantees reflect characteristics of neoliberal management, which prioritizes cost reduction, flexibilization of work, and increased employee turnover.This situation impacts not only the physical and mental health of teachers but also the quality of education and the academic and socio-emotional development of students, harming the educational environment as a whole. The results indicate the need to rethink educational policies and adopt measures that value teaching work, such as regular public exams and compliance with labor laws.