MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine workers carry out major strike

These strikes are “harming those who want to work,” Adorni argued

Argentina's leading public workers labor union Association of State Workers (ATE) launched at noon Tuesday a 36-hour strike to protest against the Libertarian administration of President Javier Milei's recent layoffs and spending cutbacks, in addition to demanding wage adjustments to cope with inflation. The measure is also fueled by a 24-hour stoppage affecting air, railroad, and underground services.

Presidential Spokesman, Manuel Adorni said only the “privileged who can afford the luxury of stopping” would be joining the protest while “the good Argentines do not have that possibility nor do they want to stop.” These strikes are “harming those who want to work,” he also pointed out.

In the first eight months of 2024 alone, public sector wages accumulated an increase of 93.5% against 116.1% in the private sector amid 94.8% inflation. However, ATE claims that public employees have lost 34 percentage points against inflation since Milei took office. The union also argues that 75% of state employees earned salaries below the poverty line as per September data.

Regardless, the Libertarian administration plans to further deepen its so-called “chainsaw” policies with the privatization of Aerolíneas Argentinas in sight, while that of Metrogas has already been announced.

So far under Milei, some 28,500 state jobs have been cut down. In addition, some 40,000 temporary workers will be put through a suitability test to determine their continuity while some 10,000 others will be urged to start their retirement procedures. Milei's privatization plans for public companies will also affect numerous people working there.