VI. The moral structure of worker´s subjectivity.

Why did these workers transform the hazards beard on their jobs into positive personality attributes that conditioned their relationships?  

Each productive process is a specific form of consumption of labor related to the mode of capital accumulation (Coriat, 2011: 70). In the second half of the 20th century, the purchasing power of the working class was crucial for social, political, and economic stability. In this context, collective bargaining became determinant in the construction of workers' subjectivity: the worker was seen as a labor force seller. In consequence, workers build their identity around the image of breadwinners, a concept that combines gender, economic, and production as conditioning factors. 

For example, when Santa Rosa´s workers took hazard as intrinsic to their job, they believed that they were making an effort, a sacrifice to bring home “the bread”. In this way, to do a dangerous job was not perceived as problematic. The real issue was getting the proper remuneration for it. This moral comprehension of their work ruled the relationship with the employer, engaging them in a shared feeling of prestige as long as the company kept growing, and that growth was reflected in the salaries.