In this study, I propose the investigation and analysis of a broad and diverse set of experiences liven by a specific group of workers from the consideration of its relative position in the productive process and in a context characterized by major local transformations. The group of workers focused here is composed by two professional categories: the heavy construction workers and naval construction workers, both located in Suape Industrial Dock Complex, between the cities Cabo de Santo Agostinho and Ipojuca in the state of Pernambuco. The possibility of a comparative analsys between the two categories is given by the existence of a series of similarities between then on behalf of the following aspects: socioeconomic profile, conflicts profile and specifc nature of the labour process. Were analysed the experiences of work, non-work, and of political action, giving particular emphasis to this last category of experience. Were analysed more closely the conflicts occurred in the period 2008-2012, when there has been a exceptional amount of outages and strikes in both professional categories. It was found the occurrence of a series of situations in common that were faced by the workers movement of both professional categories, such as: heated labour market, with consequences for the bargaining power of the working class, high degree of independent activism, difficulties of legitimacy and representativeness faced by union leaders and members of base commissions; use of anti-union practices by the companies. The approach followed in this research aimed the valorization of the various forms by which the workers feels and explains their experiences. By using the thompsonian category of experience as the main theoretical support, I seek to investigate the extremely diverse forms by which the workers of Suape feel, perceive, explain, organize themselves, resist, adapt and fight in a context marked by the implantation of "big projects". In order to achieve such goals, it was deployed several research techniques, giving more emphasis to the interviews and conversations with workers, union leaders, militants and other informants. This choice is based on the conception of the moments of meeting, hearing and dialogue as a privileged space for the understanding of how the experiences is elaborated by the subjects consciousness. In an ancillary basis and aiming to collect further information that could serve as complement and counterpoint, I did official document analysis, news monitoring and ethnographic field research in relevant spaces for the comprehension of non-work experiences (spaces of circulation, entertainment, commerce and religion)