The struggle of workers with disabilities in the face of the capitalist crisis

ABSTRACT

This essay reflects on the advancement of neoliberal policies and their impact on the barriers confronting the right of persons with disabilities to safe and dignified work. It explores the implications of the expansion of outsourcing, labor counter-reforms, and the rise of platform-based employment (uberization) within the context of the structural crisis of capital. Grounded in historical-dialectical materialism, the analysis draws upon contemporary literature addressing the transformations in the world of work and the persistent challenges to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the labor market. The findings suggest that these transformations represent a direct assault on the hard-won rights of this group. The proliferation of outsourced and platform-mediated labor, alongside the weakening of regulatory institutions and the fragmentation of labor organizations, has led to a systematic erosion of labor protections. These developments have intensified the precariousness of employment relations, disproportionately marginalizing persons with disabilities, who face increasing exclusion from formal employment and heightened vulnerability to unemployment.

KEYWORDS
Capital crisis; Right to work; Persons with disabilities; Occupational health