Argentine unions lead march against labor flexibilization and higher retirement age proposals
Argentina's three main labor federations and numerous social advocacy groups marched in Buenos Aires today in opposition to labor law flexibilization and pension reform proposals being pushed by President Mauricio Macri.
Converging in downtown Buenos Aires, marchers and labor leaders called for the defense of jobs, free collective bargaining, rejection of pension and labor reform, and a dignified retirement.
They also demanded that Santiago Maldonado, a missing 28 year-old activist, be found alive. Maldonado was arrested on August 1 while supporting a protest by the indigenous Mapuche people against encroachment on sacred lands in Patagonia, and has not been seen since.
Today's demonstration was announced on Friday after an agreement between the nation's largest labor federation, the CGT, and the more left-leaning Worker's CTA and Autonomous CTA federations.
Playing for keeps
Historically beset by divisiveness, Argentina's labor movement has achieved a nearly-unprecedented unity since Macri took office 20 months ago.
Free trade policies and massive utility rate hikes have earned him political support from business groups and the IMF - as well as a record $116 billion in new foreign loans.
Critics, however, note sharply higher prices, a wave of small business failures, higher unemployment, a doubling in capital flight, and - confounding market analyst predictions - a 64% collapse in foreign direct investment.
"They do this every time," CGT leader Juan Carlos Schmidt reminded the audience. "They demand sacrifices from us while encouraging short-term speculation - and once they've make their killing, leave us all holding the bag."
While numerous union demonstrations have taken place against the right-wing Macri administration (including a general strike on April 6), Macri's recent bid for labor law deregulation and for raising the retirement age to 67 galvanized the nation's labor and social organizations alike.
"They're playing for keeps. The government would like to do away with the entire labor movement - not just this labor leader or that," former House Speaker Leopoldo Moreau explained. "People are trying to protect their living standards and labor rights, and don't want to return to pre-1916 conditions."
From the ATM to McDonald's
Known in Argentina as the "McDonald's bill" after it was revealed that the U.S. based fast-food giant helped craft it, Macri labor reform proposals seek a return to the lax labor law environment of the 1990s, when similar bills were passed in 1992 and 2000.
The work week rose from 40 to 48 hours, short-term trial employment was encouraged, and layoffs were made simpler and less costly. But rather than create jobs, unemployment jumped from 7% in 1992 to 24% in 2002, and the incidence of unregistered workers doubled to 45%.
The 2000 labor bill became known as the "ATM bill" once it emerged that President Fernando de la Rúa, a vocal supporter of Macri's policies, had State Intelligence bribe a number of senators to obtain its passage.
Amid a record collapse and rioting, de la Rúa resigned the following year.
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Bank workers' leader Sergio Palazzo addresses demonstrators: "There are more than enough reasons for today's mobilization."
