MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

To vote again for Cristina Fernandez would be a “masochist act” says Moyano

“We still haven’t got answers to demands we made” claims the powerful union leader

Argentine CGT Labour Confederation head Hugo Moyano said on Wednesday that he would not vote again for President Cristina Fernández but nevertheless sent her a letter requesting she receives the new CGT board which the government does not recognize.

The umbrella union leader said he personally would not cast a ballot for the President and said it would be “masochist act” to do so. The statements were made in a radio interview when Moyano was asked about his voting intentions for next year’s mid term elections and 2015 presidential ballot.

As well as announcing he personally would not vote for her, the CGT boss accused the Head of State of trying to cause fractions within the union’s movement.

“We still haven’t got answers to demands we made. It would masochist to vote for her, I personally wouldn’t do so. They call for union, but they were the ones dividing the workers’ movement,” Moyano claimed.

On Tuesday Moyano also criticized Yesterday, the umbrella union boss criticized President Fernández de Kirchner for “dancing” at a time when “despairing people” were protesting against crime, and slammed government “arrogance.”

The union leader further condemned his opponents within the organized labour movement, and described the behaviour of unions close to the national government who met with the President at Government House on Monday night as “clowns” while stating that “the actual role of the union leader is to give the people answers”.

This however did not prevent Moyano from sending a letter to President Cristina Fernández requesting her to receive the new CGT board of directors following the umbrella union’s elections, which were not recognized by the Government.

The letter was signed by Moyano, union secretary Abel Frutos and Secretary Guillermo Pereyra and once again requests an increase to family allowances and of the income tax floor.

On Monday President Cristina Fernández met with anti-Moyano unionists, who aim to create a new, Government sponsored CGT that will be holding its national congress to elect authorities in October.

Earlier this year, Moyano had sent a letter to the President requesting a hearing, which never took place. This only deepened the conflict between the Head of State and the powerful union leader. As a result of the rift, Moyano led a rally with a crowd of 50,000 in Plaza de Mayo in June, once again claiming for an increase of income tax floor, among other issues.

“We make use of this opportunity to request a meeting in which the members of this recently elected board of directors can express the fair claims of Argentine workers,” a paragraph of the letter said.

“We want to reiterate what was asked by the Board of Directors whose term ended July 14th, regarding the concerns affecting workers and which have had not even a partial answer thus far. On the contrary, the terrible increase of prices which took place in the last year, which affects all Argentines and can be seen in the constant re-pricing of the goods which are required the most by working families could not be fixed during the 2012 wage talks”.