Argentine trade unions and social movements mobilize against Milei’s harsh austerity policies

Trade unions are taking to the streets against the dismissal of 7,000 workers and other anti-people policies that are part of Javier Milei’s recent presidential decree

December 27, 2023 by Peoples Dispatch

Tens of thousands participating in the protest against Milei’s DNU. Photo: FOL

Tens of thousands are expected to mobilize in Buenos Aires, Argentina in front of the country’s courts on Wednesday, December 27, to reject the Decree of Necessity and Urgency (DNU) 70/2023 announced by President Javier Milei on December 20 which severely undermines workers’ rights and promotes the deregulation of the economy.

They will also be protesting the dismissal of 7,000 public workers, outlined in the DNU, and made official through another decree published in the Official Gazette.

The government has warned that it will use “all deterrent measures” in response to the protest including the “Public Order Protocol” announced by Minister of Security Patricia Bullrich on December 14. This protocol authorizes the police and security forces to intervene in response to any attempt to partially or totally block any national roads, transportation, or “free movement.” It has been dubbed the “anti-picket” protocol as it targets the historic picket and roadblock tactic of Argentine movements.

Another government “deterrence measure” is the threat from Bullrich that those who participate in protest actions and road blockades that are recipients of social programs will not receive this support: “he who blocks the street does not get paid,” she declared.

Wednesday’s protest has been called for by the country’s major trade union confederations and social movements such as the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), both Workers’ Central Union of Argentina (CTA), the Association of State Workers (ATE), Frente Patria Grande, and other major left movements and parties.

Trade union and social leaders in the country stated that they are mobilizing in front of the courts to highlight the unconstitutionality of Milei’s decree and seek protections from the court to nullify the DNU.

“No one expects us to accept a single layoff,” the General Secretary of ATE Rodolfo Aguiar said in a statement.

He added, “If the government moves forward with these layoffs, workers and families will be directly affected, but indirectly, the entire community will be affected. In the State, any dismissal translates into a loss of rights for all our people.”

Argentine President Milei To Fire 7,000 Public Workers

December 26 2023

Source: Telesur

His decision will affect all temporary employees of the Federal administration and public institutions.

On Tuesday, Manuel Adorni, the spokesman of President Javier Milei, announced that the Argentine government will not renew around 7,000 public contracts next year and will review over one million social plans to detect irregularities.

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Nor will the public contracts registered in 2023 ending on December 31 be renewed in 2024. The rest of the public worker contracts will enter a review process in the next 90 days.

These decisions will affect all temporary employees of the Federal administration and Argentine public institutions. Only workers from state-owned companies will be excluded.

Adorni maintains that some 160,000 beneficiaries of social plans would be benefiting from aid in an “irregular” manner, which means that they would stop receiving public resources worth about US$12.4 million.

“Argentines should not be responsible for this money,” the presidential spokesperson said, adding that the Milei administration seeks to make monetary transfers transparent so that social plans stop functioning as a business for the leaders of social organizations.

More specifically, state cuts mainly will affect the workers of the National Social Security Administration (ANSES), the Comprehensive Medical Care Program (PAMI) and the Federal Administration of Public Revenues (AFIP).

After the decree announcing the dismissal of 7,000 workers was made official, Daniel Catalano, the secretary in Buenos Aires of the State Workers Association (ATE), accused the Milei administration of leading Argentina towards a process of generalized poverty.

“They are leading us to be like Haiti. It’s crazy,” he said and asked people to join the mobilizations called by the General Confederation of Labor (CGT).

“The government wants to show blood,” Catalano stated and stressed that laying off 7,000 workers who earn US$243 a month does not solve any macroeconomic problem but only harms 7,000 families.