The hard and precarious work of São Paulo municipal funeral workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: the São Paulo municipal funeral industry is one of the biggest in Latin America. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the municipality, particularly in 2021, broke record numbers for deaths and burials. This scenario had major repercussions for public servants of the municipal funeral agency. Objective: to understand working conditions and situations in São Paulo municipal funeral workers during the pandemic, observing its repercussions on work activity and occupational health. Methods: this exploratory qualitative research conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 participants who were contacted by accessibility criteria and linked to different work activities from two cemeteries and a funeral agency and labored in-person during the pandemic. Results: the pandemic worsened the existing precarious working conditions and situations. Participants claimed an emotional burden related to working activities and a feeling of being professionally devalued. Conclusions: work in the funeral industry is a complex activity that requires specific knowledge, much of it regarding care work, despite the evinced precarious working conditions and the feelings of professional devaluation.