For it is in giving that we receive: the benefit policies of a shoe factory in Ceará State

Abstract

As a part of the productive world rearrangement, the Northeast of Brazil has attracted many industrial enterprises from South and Southeast, due mainly to the advantages offered by governments and the inexpensive work force. This article intends to discuss some features of the working conditions and of the benefit policies in a shoe factory settled in Ceará State. The discussion is based on observations and interviews with managers and workers. The analysis indicates that this set of practices doesn't bring effective impacts on workers' income and welfare. In fact, it consists of an effort to make them more linked to the enterprise, leading them to feel in debt to the employers.