Em busca da "terra molhada". Ações coletivas de resistência e organização do movimento sindical em Itaparica.

Abstract

This study aims to analyse how people affected by the construction of dams for hydroelectric power react to these projects. We take as a starting point the littérature on large scale projects and social movements. The rural workers trade union movement, which has organized itself, since the building of the Electrical Dam of Itaparica (1974/1988) through the ' Trade Union Regional Group of the Submédio San Francisco ' and the local trade unios, associations na co-operatives. Through a study of the trajectory of the trade union movement, we pursue to analyse the singularities of this social movement, focusing on two main aspects. First, it is a movement which aggregates experiences and conflicts generated by prior Dam Project in the region. This enabled the workers social organizations to take ' new ' strategies on facing the State. Second, the transformations happened on the organizational, strategical and representative levels throughout these years. The research has taken as case study the mentioned trade unions organizations in both States, Pemambuco and Bahia. We did semi-structured interviews with trade union leaders, leaders of a different organizations and professionals of technical assistance. We also did participant observation, littérature research on documents written by the trade union organizations and others institutions. We conclude that there are a diversity of intertwined strategies, which lead not only to the construction of a ' new1 agrarian space, through the irrigation projects in San Francisco Vale, but also for the consolidation of the social relation between mediator and the Dam Company (CHESF) and resettled people in the area through the collective actions of the renewed trade union movement.