This Thursday’s general strike in Argentina against had a “very significant” level of participation, which the CGT trade union central estimated at 90%, said one of its leaders, Jorge Sola.
The reform, which includes a reduction in compensation, the extension of the working day to 12 hours and the limitation of the right to strike, also mobilized thousands of people in the vicinity of Congress, where the Chamber of Deputies is debating the legislation in a session that is estimated to go into the early hours of the morning.
— This strike had a huge turnout, with more than 90% of activity paralyzed — said Sola, general secretary of the Insurance Union, at a press conference.
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The strike, with the crucial participation of public transport, also paralyzed banks, and had repercussions on commercial and productive activity. Even sporting activities were suspended, such as Professional Football League games, although some specific sectors and self-employed workers continued their activities normally. In total, 13 unions joined the movement.
In Brazil, at least 62 flights suspended
One of the sectors most impacted by the strike was aviation. Aerolíneas Argentinas reported that more than 31 thousand passengers will be affected by the cancellation of 255 flights. The measure will have an estimated economic impact of US$3 million, the company said.
In Brazil, at least 62 flights were suspended, between arrivals and departures, at Galeão and Guarulhos airports. At the São Paulo terminal, the impact began on Wednesday, with 12 cancellations of flights that were scheduled to land in Argentina after the start of the general strike. This Thursday, another 15 flights were suspended, according to GRU Airport, the concessionaire that manages the airport.
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— I find it difficult to call modernization something that takes us back 100 years. It will never be modernization if we regress in everything we achieved in individual and collective rights — said Sola.
The leader attributed joining the strike to “a disruption of the social and productive fabric”.
Earlier, and in statements to Radio con Vos, Sola considered that, due to the magnitude of the participation, this strike was the biggest of the four that the CGT carried out in the two years of Milei’s government.
The forceful measure has “participation levels never seen before in this government”, said the union leader.
— Many will disagree, but the support is impressive, very significant — he added.
Sola warned that, if the reform is approved in the Chamber of Deputies and, after returning to the Senate, is turned into law, the conflict will intensify.
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— Force measures will continue to increase because this bill does not include any provision for the progressive strengthening of workers’ rights — he stated. — The formalization of informal workers will not happen, and this will be a tool used to transfer a huge amount of resources from workers to employers — he added.
The Government minimized the impact of the strike and made accusations against the unionists.
— The strike is quite perverse, because if they cut off your means of transport, no matter how much you want to work, you can’t do it. There is nothing more extortionate and contrary to freedom than what the trade unionists are doing. That’s why people hate them; They have an 80% negative image, and how could they not have that image if the only thing they do is complicate the worker’s life? — said Milei’s chief of staff, Manuel Adorni.
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According to the union, the reform project will remove US$6 billion annually from workers’ deferred salaries for the financial sector.
— In these 12 mobilizations and four general strikes we were consistent and responsible for maintaining social peace, in the face of the refusal of dialogue — highlighted Sola.
The strike was launched amid growing social unrest and a day after the closure of a major tire factory, which resulted in the dismissal of 900 workers.
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Since Milei took office in December 2023, around 300,000 jobs have been lost and approximately 21,000 companies have closed, according to union sources, who denounce the official rush to approve the labor reform before the opening of the ordinary sessions of Congress, which will be led by Milei on March 1st.
Clashes between police and protesters
Police and protesters clashed in Buenos Aires. The incidents involved several dozen people in a demonstration on the outskirts of Congress, which had started peacefully at noon and was attended by thousands of protesters called by unions and left-wing parties.
Most of the protesters had already left the scene when bottles and stones were thrown at the police cordon, located behind metal fences that blocked access to the Legislative headquarters.
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Security forces responded with water cannons and tear gas.
After the relatively brief incidents, dozens of protesters and lines of police, including motorized officers, remained at a distance in the late afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Chamber of Deputies debated the labor reform project, in a marathon session that should last until the late hours of the night. The initiative has already been approved in the Senate.
Last week, a demonstration against the reform gave rise to violent clashes, with stones thrown and Molotov cocktails against rubber bullets and tear gas. Around thirty people were detained.
Milei was out of the country
The president was not in the country during the strike. He participated, in Washington, in the Peace Council launched by Donald Trump. At the same time, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) supported the labor reform, although it asked to “mitigate transition costs”, referring to the impacts on the domestic economy of opening up imports.
