The largest trade union federation in Argentina, the General Confederation of Trade Unions (CGT), has called for the first general strike against the government of the ultraliberal Javier Milei this Thursday, January 28th and January 24th. Unions oppose economic and labor reforms that also limit their power. There was an agreement between the CGT leaders for the strike.
On the same day there will be a protest mobilization by members of the Argentine Congress. The unions reject a decree from Milei that calls for the amendment of more than 300 laws with the aim of deregulating an economy that has been under heavy state intervention for decades.
In labor matters, changes are being introduced that challenge the power of unions, as well as changes to legislation that previously benefited workers. On the one hand, it restricts the right to strike in essential sectors such as hospital services, education and transport, and opens the way to new compensation mechanisms that make it cheaper to lay off staff.
The changes also open up the possibility for workers to pay their contributions directly to private healthcare providers, rather than through union welfare schemes as is currently the case, affecting an important source of resources for the sector.
On Wednesday there was a march by workers and social organizations in front of the Buenos Aires courts in support of a legal complaint that Milei's decrees were unconstitutional.