Abstract
How to interpret the Brazilian trade unions' performance during the Workers Party's (PT) government? Is it oris it notin crisis? Were trade unions co-opted by the government? How strong and important they prove themselves? Did they rise to the challenges posed by today's work reality? This paper addresses these questions electing bank workers' unions as a case study. It analyzes how specific trade unions performed during the PT's government. Instead of presenting a general analysis, it briefly highlights the agendas for claims, forms of action, achievements and setbacks. Subsequently, taking bank workers' unions as example, it questions ideas commonly used in interpretations about Brazilian trade unions in the 21st century, such as those of crisis, co-optation, and trade unions' bureaucratization.
Keywords:
Syndicalism; Mobilization; Banks workers; Forms of action; Agendas for claims