What is Vida Viva about?

Vida Viva is about (re-)gaining control of working conditions at the shop floor
In the last decades most unions internationally have come into defence: workers rights have been harassed and undermined, working conditions have been deteriorated. VidaViva is about developing internationally new workers strategies to change this situation and actively fight for change.

VidaViva is about broadening worker and union understandings of health.
Not health as the mere opposite of sickness, but health as a pre-condition for a fulfilling and complete life. The conditions we have to work under limit our possibilities of having such a life. For instance when you work and live with permanent pain or stress it affects your life, your relationships, and your capacity to relate to the world. But unhealthy and hazardous working conditions are not just limiting possibilities of workers in their (and your) time off; it also has consequences for work satisfaction, for the co-workers and for the prospects to find another job or simply being able to bring in money.

Thus Vida Viva aims to develop and implement strategies that engage workers and their unions in ways that deliver improvements in working conditions on their terms.
Vida Viva has created and applied several active learning methods to raise consciousness of health issues as intimately related, in a triangular pattern, to work on the one hand and life outside work on the other. At the same time Vida Viva promotes initiatives by unions, led as much as possible by rank-and-file members, to pressure for improvements in working conditions.

Trough these activities Vida Viva wants to strengthen unions by making them more responsive to rank-and-file members.
Vida Viva tries to create spaces and ideas that enable workers to revalidate and assert their own knowledge -- of their health, working conditions and life worlds -- and their standing within trade unions.

Vida Viva

Education & exchange in Germany

What is Vida Viva about?

Who is involved in Vida Viva?

What have we done?

What can you do?

Do you want to read more?


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Vida Viva in Brazil


Background on Brazil’s economy

…and the labour market

Background on stress, work and illness
…and gender
…in Brazil


Background on Brazil’s labour movement
… and industrial relations
… unions and health


Conclusion: unions, work and health

Vida Viva in Mozambique

Vida Viva in Germany

Materials

Slideshow:
Expo - chemical worker


Slideshow:
Choclate factory


Slideshow:
Expo-agro workers

Leaflet December 2006

Leaflet January 2007

Leaflet February 2007

Introduction magazine
of Vida Viva


Brochure on work quality


Health & safety guide

Mapping guide English