Bank workers’ mental strain: building confrontation strategies

Abstract This report aims to present and discuss the basis, development and results of a support group constituted with sick bank workers. The activity was carried out by the Núcleo de Ação em Saúde do Trabalhador - NAST (Workers’ Health Action Center) in partnership with the Bank Workers’ Union of Limeira, state of São Paulo, Brazil. Starting from the workers’ professional life, the objective was to query the current labor organization in this sector. The group held eight meetings of approximately two hours each at the union headquarters in Limeira. During the meetings, workers reported adverse work situations that were determinant in their health-disease process. Most of the workers’ complaints were related to the mental strain caused by pressure to achieve oversized goals, and by the lack of recognition by the institution managers and users. The support group proved to be a powerful confrontation device and an important tool in providing a voice space for workers to articulate the construction of individual and collective strategies for health promotion in the workplace.