Argentinas trade unions call for general strike against Mileis labor reform

The General Confederation of Labor (CGT, by its Spanish initials) announced on Monday they will hold a nationwide strike.  The decision comes as a protest against the government’s labor reform bill, which received Senate approval last week. Argentina’s largest trade union federation, the CGT confirmed on its X account that the strike will take place the same day the lower house of Congress debates the bill, meaning there is not yet a set date. The federation confirmed the measure will last 24-hours, and no rally is expected that day.Transportation unions announced on Tuesday that trains, subways and buses will be halted, affecting mobility nationwide during the strike. Cristian Jerónimo, head of the glass workers union and one of the three leaders of CGT, told Radio 10 on Monday that “the conditions are set, and there is consensus for a national strike.” The CGT has opposed the labor reform, highlighting changes to regulations on severance pay, working hours, the right to strike, and vacation time, but also criticising the newly proposed scheme for sick leave or non-work-related accidents. The reform, they argued, will have “no real impact on job creation” and will benefit specific sectors at the expense of workers. The CGT won’t be the only union to implement harsher measures against the reform. On Saturday, the United Trade Unions Front — formed by unions representing metallurgical, public-sector, oil and general workers —also confirmed a general strike and a mass rally to Congress. Milei’s labor reform President Javier Milei’s labor reform was passed in the Senate last week, with 42 votes in favor and 30 against, following a 12-hour debate. It will now be sent to the lower house for final approval.  The bill is being touted as a tool to boost job creation by making labor conditions more flexible, cutting severance pay, and providing financial benefits to employers, among other things. The labor reform modifies existing laws that regulate labor conditions and the operation of unions. Among its key provisions, the bill establishes that the severance pay for employees fired without cause to be calculated excluding additional income such as bonuses, unused paid vacation time, and the thirteenth salary (known as aguinaldo). The new legislation also replaces the current extra hours scheme with an “hours bank” system, where employees could agree to work extra hours in exchange for having those hours docked from future shifts. They would not receive overtime pay.  Additionally, employees who have an accident or get sick outside their workplace — for example, an injury while playing a sport — will suffer sick pay cuts. Salary haircuts for non-risky activities will be 25%; for risky ones, the cut will climb to 50%. The reform would also change the way labor negotiations and union activities work, allowing companies to conduct labor and wage negotiations directly with their workers, overriding trade union agreements, and requiring workers to request permission to hold union assemblies at their workplaces.  With information from Ámbito