Change Laboratory in an Urban Cleaning Company: A Dialogue with Female Street Sweepers

Abstract

The aim of the present chapter is to describe the experience of urban cleaning workers, mainly women, who work sweeping streets, and how the Change Laboratory (CL) method influenced the development of improvements for the workers themselves and society at large. The work performed by sweepers is extremely relevant for society and the public administration—public health in particular—because they collect the waste produced daily to maintain cities clean and minimize the occurrence of diseases. Several studies described the vulnerabilities to which these workers are exposed along the working hours, their invisibility, and social prejudice. The CL method is based on theories for collective development of ideas. In the present case, a representative group of street sweepers participated in sessions with mediators to discuss and analyze the street sweeping activity from its beginnings to the present day. Based on ethnographic data and considering difficulties exhibited by the group, the mediators had resource to double stimulation and illustrative materials to facilitate discussions. The group designed an activity system for the sweeping activity, which helped them understand all the aspects involved. Seeking better socioenvironmental sustainability, improvements in the working conditions, and prevention of occupational diseases and work accidents, the participants suggested transformative and collective solutions to be implemented in the near future.