MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Business as usual in Argentina as bus strike is lifted

UTA leader Roberto Fernández took heavy flak for not staging the drivers' strike on Wednesday, together with the other groups

It will be business as usual for Argentines on Thursday after the bus drivers' Unión Tranviarios Automotor (UTA) lifted the strike following an understanding with the Labor Ministry and the companies represented by the Asociación Argentina de Empresarios del Transporte Automotor.

Representing the Libertarian Government of President Javier Milei at Wednesday's virtual meeting was Labor Regulation Director Mara Mentoro, who took over as Minister Julio Cordero was out of town. On behalf of the private bus companies were dignitaries from the Argentine Association of Automotive Transport Entrepreneurs (AAETA), the Chamber of Passenger Transport Entrepreneurs (CEAP), the Chamber of Transport of the Province of Buenos Aires (CTPBA), and the Chamber of United Entrepreneurs of Urban Passenger Transport of Buenos Aires (CEUTUPBA).

After deciding to cancel the strike, labor union leaders insisted it had been the “first step” of the struggle as workers were “warming up” for what lay ahead. They also underlined the measure's “high rate” of support and did not rule out additional strikes in the coming months given Milei's chainsaw policies whereby salaries keep dwindling and prices going up, sinking the population into despair.

They made those remarks at a time when railroads, subways, air, and maritime services were paralyzed for more than 15 hours.

“It is the first step of the struggle plan. Next week with the comrades of the Board we will decide what we are going to do from now on”, said railroad workers union La Fraternidad leader Omar Maturano. “If they attack us, we will defend ourselves,” he added.

“We put differences aside because unity is necessary. We are just warming up, we want to resist this policy,” airline pilot leader Pablo Biró pointed out. “The Government does not know what it is getting into,” he also warned.

Pablo Moyano, who represents lorry drivers and is also one of the heads of the General Labor Confederation (CGT) questioned the unions that did not join their protest as well as the Peronist lawmakers who gave their nod to Milei's Bases Law. “The ones who ended up shitting on us were the Peronist deputies. The political class betrayed the workers,” Moyano underlined.

UTA leader Roberto Fernández took heavy flak for not staging the drivers' strike on Wednesday, together with the other groups. According to Buenos Aires media, his decision was linked to profound differences with the CGT and particularly with the Moyano family. The UTA demands a 24.7% wage adjustment to cope with inflation.