MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine organized labour on the war path anticipates ‘many conflicts’ in salary negotiations round

“With five phone calls we can bring all labour activity to a halt”, warned Moyano’s second line

Argentine organized labour, CGT, sent over the week end strong messages to the government of President Cristina Fernandez a day after their leader Hugo Moyano in a comeback speech called government official pre-programmed ‘teacher’s pets” and anticipated a complicated round of salary negotiation with many ‘possible conflicts’.

Lawmaker and newspaper salesmen union leader Omar Plaini warned the Argentine Government “not to send any messages” to CGT leader Hugo Moyano, and predicted a complex future in salary negotiations with the Cristina Fernández administration.

“The CGT is not attacking anyone. It’s discussing certain matters that remain unfinished. People should be careful with the statements they make. Solidifying democracy means taking a step towards social justice every day. We must be capable of bringing this matter to centre stage so we can reach social justice. Moyano has been very clear about this, so don’t send him any messages” Plaini warned.

Also on Sunday, the secretary of the teamsters’ union, Marcelo Aparicio, warned that this would be “a very intense week, in which many conflicts could arise,” and threatened that “by making no more than five phone calls, we can bring all labour activity to a halt”.

Two days after the CGT leader accused government officials of being “puppets” of the administration, Plaini stated that Moyano “has been very clear: don’t send him any messages”.

“They are not going to scare us. We have fought against the dictatorship, against the financial dictatorship and against every government that wanted to take the workers’ rights away from them. And we’re going to keep doing it” he assured.

Last Friday after a month shying away from the public eye Moyano called government officials pre-programmed ‘teacher’s pets’ who can’t make a move or open their mouths without a previous authorization.

“I’m not interested in what the officials say. Those are a teacher’s pet, they are all told previously what to say; they are a bunch of ventriloquists, ‘hey kiddies’ puppies” he emphasized.

Moyano also warned that the unions will not accept “absurd hikes” in the wage talks that will be geared by ‘supermarket inflation’, what workers have to really pay when they go shopping. He was referring to the 18% top “suggestion” from the government of President Cristina Fernandez.   

“Many of the hike percentages given were a disgrace” adding that ”we workers have enough experience so as to know the percentage we need to demand and I'm sure that the salaries will be based in the Indec (national statistics bureau) data, but the supermarket Indec. Now you puppies go tell that to your mother”.

Last week several business organizations such as the powerful manufacturers lobby, Argentina Industrial Union revealed they had requested the government of Cristina Fernandez to participate in the coming salary negotiations, making them tripartite, to help contain what is considered an avalanche of demands.