MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pressure to repeal “bribed” labour reform bill.

A majority of Argentine Congress members are considering the repeal of a labour reform bill following revelations from a former Senate official that several Senators had been bribed in 2000 to have the bill approved.

Mario Pontaquarto, a former Senate legislative secretary who allegedly was responsible for the payments testified before a Federal Judge in Buenos Aires that former President Fernando de la Rua's administration had instructed him with the task of delivering the equivalent of five million US dollars that would ensure the approval of the 2000 contentious bill.

The reforms which were targeted to make the labour market more flexible, and supposedly help combat unemployment, were one of the many conditions demanded by multilateral credit organizations for rescheduling Argentina's heavy debt.

Argentina's largest and most influential labour federation, the General Workers' Union, or CGT, is also demanding the repeal of the bill and recalled that the reforms approved under the coalition government of Mr. De la Rúa (Radicales and left wing Frepaso) had been overwhelmingly opposed and protested by workers organizations. Carlos "Chacho" Alvarez the former ticket vice-president and who resigned in 2000 apparently because Mr. De la Rua's failed to investigate the bribery claims called for a political and legal debate on the repeal the law.

However Peronists Senators close to former caretaker president Eduardo Duhalde who in 1999 lost the presidential election to the Alliance led by the De la Rúa-Alvarez ticket said that since July 2000 they had demanded an investigation into the insistent "bribe" rumours, but Mr. Chacho Alvarez, then president of the Senate "preferred to resign".

Hector Maya, a Peronist senator when the law was enacted called on the government "to immediately submit a bill repealing the reforms which violates workers' fundamental rights".

Socialist Deputy Héctor Polino stressed that "a law with such a background cannot continue to determine the fate of millions of workers."

The 2000 labour reforms law restricted the power of unions, extended the trial period for new employees from one to six months and allowed collective bargaining to set the terms of employment at all levels.

Argentine Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernandez recalled that the repeal of the law or the introduction of amendments is the responsibility of Congress.