Subway workers protest to halt service starting at 9 p.m.

The Buenos Aires City subway and pre-metro workers will halt service on all lines starting at 9 p.m. on Wednesday to protest the labor reform promoted by the Milei administration, according to a press release by the Subway and Premetro Workers’ Union (AGTSyP). “The AGTSyP supports the mobilization and service halts against the labor reform that the Javier Milei administration is trying to impose,” read the statement. The union added that they consider the labor reform “a deep setback in the rights of workers.” There will no subway after the protest, as the halt will continue until the end of shift, at 11.30 p.m. The surprise protest is taking place on the same day the Argentine Senate is holding a session to debate the reform. Lawmakers convened at 11 a.m. to begin the debate in the midst of a heated session that is expected to last until early Thursday. The labor reform The proposal includes more flexible working hours, changes to salaries and severance pay, and financial benefits for companies. The goal of the bill is to discourage labor lawsuits and to simplify contracts to promote employment. This includes lowering employer taxes, as well as lowering financial controls and giving other benefits to those who formalize their employees. Other changes that would be introduced by the bill are a dynamic salary, meaning income would be tied to productivity, as well as a national fund to cover severance payments, meaning employers would no longer have to pay them in full themselves. It also introduces the concept of hours bank, which means employees could voluntarily agree to extend their shifts, and, instead of receiving an overtime payment, the extra hours they worked would be used to shorten future shifts. Workers could work up to 12-hour shifts under that system.