MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Moyano says unions will have their own stats office to keep track of inflation

While Moyano was taking office the dissidents were received at Government House by Cristina Fernandez

Argentina’s organized labour CGT leader Hugo Moyano began on Monday his new term at the helm of the umbrella union organization and once again targeted the government of President Cristina Fernandez promising to set up his own Indec (stats office) to measure inflation.

“We will have our own Indec,” he said as he entered the CGT headquarters in the City. He added that inflation “would be measured the way it’s supposed to” and “not like Domestic Trade Secretary Guillermo Moreno does it”.

Inflation has become a most contentious issue in Argentina since the official Indec rate remains below two digits while all private consultants, the courts, IMF and World Bank agree that it is well above 20/22% annually.

According to official data consumer prices in the last 12 months to June accumulated 9.9% compared to the previous period, but for most private consultants the rate was 23.96%.

Because of this discrepancy the Argentine unions had based their pay settlements discussions in what they called “supermarket inflation”, a non official rate but very close to private estimates.

“We are no longer going to use the supermarket inflation. We are going to measure prices as it must be done” pledged Moyano again questioning Indec.

With the powerful organized labour CGT split in several pieces over discrepancies about his leadership and Cristina Fernandez government determination to have him removed from the post, Moyano nevertheless challenging assured: “We are the CGT, the one that really represents workers”.

At the same time, he said the CGT congress in which he was re-elected last week was “excellent” and “was better than expected.”

Moyano also expressed his support for Buenos Aires province governor Daniel Scioli and said that the Cristina Fernández administration “has cornered him for daring to say that he wants to run for president in 2015”.

Nevertheless Moyano who through one of his son keeps control over the teamsters union said he didn’t believe President Cristina Fernandez would call him to talk, but if that was the case “I am always willing to talk, I’m a dialogue man”.

But despite his good will President Cristina Fernández instead decided to invite and meet at Government House with union leaders at odds with Moyano and asked them to be “responsible” and to work for a “CGT united.”

“I look forward to a CGT united,” she told the unionists present.

During the meeting, she said that the union leaders who attended the meeting “were not ‘anti’ anything” and that they represented the working sector.

“Those who I wish were here today are not,” she said alluding to those supporting Moyano.

“I want to thank you all for the effort of coming here and to welcome you all in the house of all Argentines. We have to keep working together, because there’s a difficult world out there, with some activities going through a hard time,” she warned.

She also urged the unionists “not to be mad at each other for the roles they are expected to fulfil” as workers and government officials.

“We should all remember that you represent the interests of registered workers, who have their health insurance and are paid a salary above minimum wage levels. And I represent 40 million Argentines and those who are still out of a job,” she explained.