Education upon returning to the classroom after the pandemic: the views of teachers working as union leaders

The aim of this study was to problematize changes in teaching work process, focusing on the return to face-to-face teaching after the pandemic and the implications for teacher health. We conducted a qualitative social and pedagogical study with emphasis on participatory knowledge production strategies. We used the expanded research community methodology adapted for virtual settings. The data were collected by means of two virtual workshops. The discussions held during these workshops were analyzed using thematic content analysis, resulting in the following categories: work changes in schools; technology working time and unpaid outside class hours; post-pandemic lag behind and tiredness; health in the aftermath of the pandemic; and the pedagogical role of union health surveillance. Finally, the findings revealed the importance of the pedagogical role of union health surveillance in a context of social and political adversities.