MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine State workers announce “surprise” strike

The measure of force is to “stop an adjustment that cracks the whole social and productive fabric,” ATE also mentioned in a statement

Argentina's State Workers Association (ATE) labor union announced a strike for Thursday with surprise mobilizations to oppose President Javier Milei's chainsaw policies resulting in job cuts and wage freezes. The protests will take place at various locations, including the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) and the Ministries of y of Deregulation and Transformation, and Health. A major rally is to be staged at Buenos Aires' iconic Plaza de Mayo.

ATE Secretary-General Rodolfo Aguiar said his group's actions seek to resist the Libertarian Government's adjustments while demanding the return of the collective bargaining tables to recover lost wages and pensions. The union is also opposing the closure and merging of state agencies, calling for the reinstatement of workers dismissed and the renewal of expiring labor contracts. Aguiar argued that Milei's tax policies were favoring the wealthy at the expense of the public sector.

“We have to continue confronting him at all levels as the only possibility to stop an adjustment that breaks the whole social and productive fabric. If the conflict increases, we will have a chance to recover the salaries and pensions that were taken away from us,” Aguiar stressed.

He also explained that the surprise demonstrations were planned that way to avoid the increasing repression unleashed against those who demand respect for their rights.

“We cannot allow them to try to compensate the fiscal cost of tax favors to the countryside and millionaires with a new cut on the State. We reject any possibility of closing and merging agencies,” the labor union leader also pointed out.

“Javier Milei and his government are reeling. They are going through the worst days since they took office. We have to continue confronting them at all levels as the only possibility to stop an adjustment that cracks the entire social and productive fabric,” Aguiar went on.

“With the initial devaluation and wage negotiations that systematically fell below inflation, in only one year they destroyed all the income in the Public Sector. The bargaining processes must be reopened and an immediate process of wage recovery must be initiated,” he stressed.

ATE also demands the extension of a pension moratorium, the restitution of the Sustainability Guarantee Fund, and the repeal of a decree transforming Yacimientos Carboníferos Río Turbio into a joint stock company.

The measure of force is to “stop an adjustment that cracks the whole social and productive fabric,” ATE also mentioned in a statement.