Poor Region, Precarious Teachers? Labor Relations in Acre, Brazil

The objective of this paper is to examine the methods employed by the governments of Acre, one of Brazil's most impoverished states situated in the Amazon region, for the recruitment of public education teachers (IBGE, 2023). The central hypothesis guiding this study suggests that objective precariousness (Linhart, 2009) predominantly impacts the most socially vulnerable communities. The research aims to elucidate the influence of capital on the structuring of labor within the public sector, particularly in the context of flexible accumulation, which is characterized by a neoliberal political-economic framework that has intensified the exploitation and loss of workers' rights in Brazil (Harvey, 2008). It is recognized that flexible labor relations are defined by the implementation of policies promoting market freedom, often through managerialist approaches. Analysis of data from the school census revealed that approximately 74% of educators in the final years of primary and secondary education were employed on a temporary basis in 2020, with a significant concentration in rural and indigenous regions. This finding underscores the government's insufficient commitment to public service, particularly concerning the provision of quality education for these populations. Our findings confirm the initial hypothesis, as evidenced by the identification of 166 schools in Acre, that employed 100% temporary teachers. Consequently, we raise the question of whether the education provided to these communities, staffed by precariously employed professionals, aligns with the principles of justice articulated in both national and state legislation.