MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Second general strike against Milei under way

The protest will be “forceful,” Pablo Moyano forecasted

The Libertarian administration of President Javier Milei is going through the second general strike called for by the opposition General Labor Confederation (CGT) since it took office on Dec. 10, last year. The first such protest was staged on Jan. 24 with little success because at that time people were either on holiday or still enjoying their half-year bonuses that cushioned the predatory effects of Milei's measures on people's incomes.

This time around, the protest seeks to deter the Senate from passing the so-called Omnibus Law bill -officially known as Bases Law- already approved by the Lower House earlier this month. The initiative consists of a series of economic measures tacking mainly labor rights and taxation that Milei needs by May 25, when he intends to sign the so-called May Pact in Córdoba with most of the country's provincial governors to undertake a mega-state reform to cut down expenditures and achieve zero fiscal deficit.

During the strike, most economic activities are to be halted. Hence, with no public transport available, the move is expected to be successful as those workers not adhering to the CGT's motto that “the fatherland is not for sale” would nevertheless be unable to show up. In this scenario and according to MercoPress sources, many employers were considering the possibility of remote work, a practice widely developed since the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. In addition to bus drivers, also joining the measure will be bank and retail store workers, among others. Also affected will be air services nationwide.

The bill under discussion would also entail the delegation of legislative powers to the Executive, the privatization of State-run companies, the establishment of a special investment regime, and a labor reform dubbed “modernization,” which would extend trial periods for newly hired staff and also provide for changes regarding severance payments.

“This strike has several addressees. Not only President Milei, but also the governors and senators who will have to deal with the Ley Bases, and for the four or five business groups that at this moment are partners of the national Executive,” stated in a communiqué the leader of the Asociación Trabajadores del Estado (ATE), Rodolfo Aguiar.

Should the protesters seek to block bridge accesses into the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA), Milei's Government announced it would implement its anti-picketing protocol. “We guarantee free circulation, we do not let them take bridges or cut roads. There may be exceptions where we are not; if there is a provincial force, welcome, but the protocol is always applied because we know that people feel what it means. It is our philosophy,” Security Minister Patricia Bullrich explained.

The CGT assumes that all 33 Unión por la Patria (UP) Senators will reject the bill, but Governors Osvaldo Jaldo (Tucumán) and Raúl Jalil (Catamarca) are reportedly trying to reverse that outcome.

Buses and suburban trains will not operate. Neither the subway nor cabs will operate. Large stores will remain closed. According to CGT co-leader Pablo Moyano, the strike will be “forceful.”

Presidential Spokesman Manuel Adorni admitted that almost 6.6 million people would be affected because “they will have no transportation service.” He insisted that “the strike has no apparent justification” other than “political” reasons.