Changes arising from the reorganization of workplaces have been associated with increased stress among workers. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions of port workers about the presence of stress due to the process of modernization in the port of Santos . The study had a qualitative design and the data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews and Lipp's Inventory of Stress Symptoms. Seventeen temporary port workers were interviewed, 10 of whom had stress. In the perception of the worker, the current work organization seems to promote adverse situations that favor the occurrence and maintenance of stress. There seems to be a relationship between stress and the constant presence of physical overload, exposure to hostile environments, poor relationships with employers, a lack of equitable distribution of work, and reductions in the number of workers, salaries, autonomy at work, and the possibility of family life and leisure time.
Stress; Social perception; Mental health; Workday shifts
