Chaos in Buenos Aires City as subway service strike enters sixth day
Chaos in Buenos Aires City traffic as the 600.000 daily subway commuters were again left on Wednesday with no service for the fifth day running and no prospects of a solution in sight as a mediation effort with striking workers collapsed.
Following the failed effort delegates told reporters that the meeting scheduled to resolve the ongoing conflict between a breakaway subway workers union and Metrovías was suspended, and that the strike could be extended if workers decide so during a series of assemblies they will carry throughout the day.
The strike began last Friday night and has been affecting thousands of passengers everyday causing transport delays and heavier traffic across the city.
The conflict surrounds wage hikes (28% increase) and better working conditions for staff and in all of the negotiation talks held up to now, an accord has not yet been reached.
However there is a political ingredient from the moment the federal government of President Cristina Fernandez has transferred the subway service and other transport systems to the City of Buenos Aires, but without the heavy subsidies. The City admits to having subsidies phased out but not overnight.
City of Buenos Aires conservative mayor Mauricio Macri is seen as a powerful and convincing presidential candidate for 2015 and Cristina Fernandez is pointing her guns on him.
On Monday the Buenos Aires City government implemented a free transport service of 500 school buses between 6pm and 8.30pm to transport commuters affected by the underground trains strike.
According to the strikers’ leader Nestor Segovia, “direct responsibility” for the continued conflict fell on Buenos Aires City Mayor Macri, and described the decision to use school buses as “infantile.”
“Macri is directly responsible for this situation. Instead of resolving the conflict, he deploys school buses. What an infantile decision!” said Segovia.
Macri accused the workers of “pushing politics at the expense of the people” and insisted that the national government “is still responsible” for the service.
National Transport Secretary Alejandro Ramos asked Macri “not to hold the people hostage” and to “take charge of the subway service.”
The member of the national government criticized “this capricious behaviour” of the City mayor for not taking charge of “something so obvious.”
Although not the responsibility of the City of Buenos Aires the situation has been further complicated by the rickety train system. A commuter train derailed on Monday when arriving to Retiro’s terminal station in the heart of Buenos Aires and crashed into a signalling post leaving more that thirty people injured.
At least 19 ambulances, medical staff, fire-fighters and policemen assisted the passengers that were left inside the wagon belonging to the Mitre line.
Due to the accident, the service had to be suspended for a few hours, until an emergency service that did not reach the Retiro train station was applied.
A second double-derailment occurred at night, fortunately with no injuries, but forced the service to be stopped until the following day when authorities admitted operating with delays.
Last May an early train packed with commuters crashed in another Buenos Aires rail terminal leaving 51 dead and over 700 injured. The accident was attributed to poor maintenance of trains and lines, and lack of control by regulators. Several officials were sacked or resigned and the train system was re-nationalized.
But commuters from the Sarmiento line have to cope with no night service because of maintenance and repairs to the railways.
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49 comments Feed
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I wonder when Aerolinas planes will start dropping out of the skies? I wouldn't take one I don't like to gamble.
Macri and CFK are playing hot potato with the Subway, neither of them wants it and in the end CFK will lose either face or $ or both.
HAHAHAHAHAaaaahhaaahahahahahaaa TAXI!!!!
Taking away subsidies is just another word for cuts. The government hands over the service and then demands that the same service is provided but with 30% less money (not tonmention inflation).
I understand the workers asking for netter working conditions as they are pretty bad. Macri can and should do something about this but he can you nothing about government sponsored inflation and the resultant wage hikes. As such, the unions beef should be with the government on this one...
Those who do not comply or oppose the emperors will be sentenced to death to the gas chamber or other methods.
Long live People's Republic of Argentina.
The City OF Argentina.
It is a screwed up place and it is not going to get any better any time soon.
I think Macri will win this one. He is pretty popular and CFK is losing popularity everyday.
In esscense what has happened is CFK has made the city of Buenso Aires take control of the subway system (in a delepadated state) but has not passed over the subsidies that the federal government has been using for many years to prop this system up. This basicaly means that she is making the cuts to the system but making it appear as if it is her political opposition making the cuts. It is under hand politics designed to strengthn the Peronist power grab at the expense of the people of Argentina and Buenso Aires.
It is political passing of the buck. SHE was elected president, SHE has the power to sort it, SHE is responisble.
This is pretty much what I was trying to say...If working conditions are bad he can try and do something via provincial legislation. What he can doing nothing about is a underground network which was barley able to manage in the first place which has subsequently had its budgent cut massively. @13 sums it up, this is underhand and obviously done to make Macri look bad and CFK look better. THe same thing was done with Scioli, cut subsidies, and then berate him for not “managing his budget” properly. Then she wires him the money with an admonishment of “don't do it again” to try and makeit look like she is saving the day...you'd be hung out to dry if you did this in most countries...
Railways in EU, UK, USA, Russia, China, Japan are working like dingbats, and pretty damned luxurious dingbats at that, meanwhile in the People's Republic of Argentina (with thanks to Sir Rodderick Bodkin) people die and are badly injured by riding a train!!!!!
Could it be that our Government is doing something wrong with respect to transportation policies????
Railways in the USA have the same problems than in Argentina.
Threats of strikes from train operators demanding better wages and benefits, accidents, lack of security in rail stations, etc. etc. I ride the train daily from Tempe to Phoenix an is very disturbing what happens.
The trains runs late and are unsafe and dirty most of the time.
I read that in New York and Chicago don't work well either.
Unfortunately you seem to get to Phoenix in one piece, if you were riding the trains here you would most probably be DEAD!!!!
Sussie the train you speak of seems more of a commuter train. USA is really poor on trins other than local subway type trains.
If you are late everyday, aren't your bosses at Taco Bell getting angry? Keep saving those pennies and maybe one day you will be able to afford to buy a used car from a Mexican about to be deported! Keep wrapping those chalupas!
Zhivago “UK agent” is not longer on assignment.
The one who uses his name is Isolda “Agent Turtle Head”.
@22
Sooner or later the “UK Agents” will start insulting you... is their only way to defend themselves.
The facts that these “UK Agents” don't release their names, address and phone number is because they are all cowards including “ UK Agent Conqueror”.
People release that information on this blog?
I released my real name, address and phone number because the “UK Agents”
did not believe I am an argentine citizen residing in CA, NV and AZ.
I would like to see all viewers identifies themselves with their real names.
But, the “UK Agents” are afraid of retaliation.
I insult ScuzzieUS because she is a ctupid c*nt and it makes for the most wonderfully stupid statements, I'm actually writing a book. Just some examples,
“All british are stupid bloody rubbish”
“Evita taught me to have an oval face and personal hygiene”
“Whenever Argentina does something stupid I pretend I am American”
“My father raped me as a child so the British are stupid bloody rubbish and the world hates them”
You see, you just can't buy shit like that.
This UK Agent is gone!
Isolda you are nothing more than a fool! “Turtle Head Agent” stop wasting your time making such ridiculous statements.
You are worthless!
NOW CHILDREN LETS ALL CALM DOWN SHALL WE!!!
You see the “UK Agents” are worthless!
G.Briton, Zhivago, Isolde, Conor Louden-Brown have stated in this web page that are “UK Agents” monitoring the argentine leader actions and followers.
Because of my support to the argentine leader in this difficult economic times the “UK Agents” do not like my support for my president and my dislike for the british people. They traspassed my internet account obtaining information referenced to my financial accounts from credit report agencies, communication received from my private physician, etc.
Also, they traspassed my FaceBook web site.
I am not the only one.
The “UK Agents” traspassed Think and Danny Berger web site to obtain information about their financial status and other information and such information was publish then in this web site.
The “UK agents” recorded 3 of my wireless telephone calls.
My wireless company called me stating that my phone calls were monitor by a third party. The wireless company is not liable since I was notify by them about the violation of privacy made by a third party.
The “UK Agents” released confidential information about me in this web page which is a serious violation of the USA Privacy Act. Consequently; I did not have any other choice than to turn G.Briton address and phone number information to the Crime Complaint Center (IC3) of the US Department of Justice to investigate.
In any event, it takes my attention the lack of knowledge G.Briton, Isolda, Zhivago and Conor Luden-Brown have about the US Privacy Act.
Do you really believe British agents have nothing better to do than monitor idiots such as yourself? You are delusional and need help.
Just so you know, Facebook pages are public, I just wanted to see how actually ugly you were but you didn't post your picture, I wonder why?
I can't speak for anyone else but I find you amusing and as long as you continue to post your bullshit on this site I too have the right to answer your posts, that it what a forum is all about, how can you not expect people to answer you on a public forum based on information you posted yourself, how you passed that US citizenship test is beyond me.
I visit the States regularly and they haven't held me at the border yet so I'm assuming the Department of Justice has better things to do. I think you have watched too many James Bond movies.
How you dare to make comments about me?
I don't care if you are stupid or smart!
I repeat, I am very concerned about the difficult economic times my 2 countries: the USA and Argentina.
Any idea from you on how to stop the USA Debt Clock?....No.
You sound more british than american!
Don't bother to respond my comments!
What make you think your posts make any sense?
You sound old and boring..
Get lost stupid man!
I don't even read your comments!
Get lost!
Its true, e-coli, keep it up your bloody rubbish arse!!! Keep your pie well washed and dress well, enjoy scraping the plates at IHOP, Kretina will be so proud! If you take antibiotics it might counteract the e-coli!
I don't care about the insults made by certain viewers. MercoPress permits all kinds of offensive language be post it.
Please, note that others web sites don't permit personal insults be made.
I cannot understand why you get so personal asking me why I came to the USA. I don't ask you personal questions. But, to be nice, let me tell you that growing up in the town of Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales, km.3, Comodor Rivadavia, Chubut, Argentina, I had the best education, food and health care.
The most facinating about life is that all of us have a destiny. My destiny was to travel almost all around the world.
I disagree with you saying my country the USA will very “anti-Argentina, politically speaking”. The next USA president has the big responsability to deal with another recession that is expect it to start on January 3, 2013 when the 2013 budget takes place reducing billons to the Department of Defense, Transportation, Education, Social Programs, etc.
You need to accept the fact, that your country theUSA is in worst economic times than my country Argentina.
With such difficult economic times reaching almost four years, the american families are suffering...Domestic violance is increasing and as an example in the State of Arizona there are approximately 6,000 children waiting to be place in foster homes.
Have a good day and remember life is a gift and short.
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