A gestão do trabalho no âmbito do Sistema Único de Assistência Social (SUAS) no município de Varginha, Minas Gerais

Abstract

The law n˚. 12,435 from 6th July 2011 that set up the Unified System for Social Assistance (SUAS) is considered a milestone in policy making for Social Assistance in Brazil due to the fact that it includes in its objectives the implementation of Work Force Management and Permanent Education. The interest to explore more about Work Force Management within the SUAS in the town of Varginha, MG was to evaluate if its principles were present and rooted in the operational aspects of this policy in the town. In order to do this, it was taken extensive bibliography review; field visits of all five Social Assistance Reference Centers as well as the Specialised Reference Centre for Social Assistance. Semi-structured interviews with the management and with those who implement the policies were carried out. It was aimed at understanding the composition of the specialised teams; to analyse its perception, the rhetoric and the actions of the local government towards ‘Work force Management’ and to verify if the Local Plan for Social Assistance (PMAS) has in its content and execution actions and mechanism that contribute to its strengthening. In regards to the characteristics of this policy, the data shows that the numbers of CRAS, CREAS and professionals are not enough. It was also established that there is not specific recruitment for the area; many of its work force comes from other fields; there is a lack of experience and understanding for this area as well as outsourcing of specialised professionals with degrees in the field. All of this contributes to the weakening of the category of the ‘Workers in the SUAS’ and demonstrate the need for investment in the Work Force Management. In the interviewees’ perception and rhetoric, they acknowledge the teams are not completed and, therefore, they cannot meet all demand. While the management pointed out the lack of resources to met demand, the specialised professionals pointed out the lack of commitment and interest from the politicians to recognise Social Assistance as part of the Public Policy. Improvisation of spaces, recruitment of personnel and implementation of a process for permanent education were identified. The practice shows that there is not specific financial resources aimed at Work Force Management; there is not a department responsible for its operation and it has never been carried out any diagnosis of its performance. The professionals do not have a Local Plan for Development neither a Carrier Plan with well defined structure and wages. There is a gap in planning regards the access of these professionals to the public machinery and structure. The making up of the PMAS was in a participative way between management and workers and it was used information from the 2013 Social Diagnosis Study. The institution of the Local Policy for Development and to fulfill all teams through proper public entrance exams were point out but other important tasks were not completed. For all the facts it was confirmed that the Work Force management within SUAS in Varginha is partial and on its early stages. Nevertheless the public policy-makers acknowledges that to proper functioning the SUAS the suggestions and norms must be put in place. In this way, it is necessary to acknowledge of its importance to deliver public services and for changes to happen it is needed to take into consideration the historic context as well the political and budgetary policies.