MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Buenos Aires city underground service back running after ten day strike

The subway system in Buenos Aires has several lines and was one of the first to be built at the beginning of last century

Buenos Aires commuters will return to the underground trains on Tuesday following a temporary labour agreement which puts an end to a nerve racking ten-day strike that made the Argentine capital collapse at times

The agreement was reached between the workers union, the managers of the Metrovias underground concession and a top official from the City of Buenos Aires government.

The dissident group from the transport union under the name of Union association of underground workers, AGTSyP confirmed in a brief agreement that “our delegates, Roberto Pianelli and Nestor Segovia together with our solicitors and advisors finally reached an agreement with the company Metrovías”.

However Pianelli head of AGTSyP said that “we are suspending extreme measures”; based on negotiations held all along the day; “we have reached an agreement which is temporary” because there are still points to be addressed.

In the release the strikers also apologize for the ten day stoppage of the underground but also point out they were forced to such a situation since their contract expired last 28 February.

Pianelli added that the agreement is “temporary” since the salary increase is yet to be resolved and in spite of a 23% increase. AGTSyP is demanding a 28% increase.

It is estimated that everyday of the conflict a million commuters suffered the consequences of the prolonged labour dispute while traffic on the streets was bottlenecked for hours. An estimated 178.000 cars tried to have access to Buenos Aires during the conflict.