The Association of State Workers (ATE)the largest public workers union in Argentinacarries out this Friday a new day of protest and strike against the massive layoffs in the public sector carried out by the ultra-liberal Government Javier Miley.
The people mobilized by ATE gathered after noon in the center of Buenos Aires and their march will culminate at the doors of the headquarters of the Ministry of Economy, steps from the Casa Rosada, headquarters of the Argentine Executive.
A strong security device has been deployed in the center of the Argentine capital.
There have already been some moments of tension between protesters and police officers.
In addition, ATE called its members to a strike throughout the country.
“Forceful” strike
The general secretary of the union, Rodolfo Aguiardescribed Friday’s strike as “forceful” in a message published on his profile on the social network X.
Aguiar also asked the Milei Executive to publish a list identifying the workers who, according to the Government, are not “providing the services” to which they are entitled as part of the public sector.
«If the Government does not publish a list of the alleged ‘gnocchi’ (colloquial and derogatory term by which this type of workers is known), it has to determine the reinstatement and the immediate payment of salaries to all those dismissed, because until here it has not been able to prove in any case the reason invoked for the ‘non-provision of services'”assured the general secretary of ATE.
After the end of March, the Milei Government did not renew 15,000 contracts in the public sector, a figure much lower than the 70,000 layoffs that the president speculated on.
“It is becoming clear that the Government never carried out audits or surveys, and that it did not verify the assignment of functions to each agent (…) At this moment there is a serious impact on the rule of law in our country”Aguiar concluded in X.
Takeover of public buildings
This Friday’s protest is the second carried out by ATE this week; on Wednesday, several of its members demonstrated in front of the headquarters of different organizations and carried out the “takeover” of public buildings.
The presidential spokesperson, Manuel Adorniconsidered that these events are “images of an absolutely decadent Argentina that we are leaving behind,” and described the strikes in various unions that occur every week in the South American country as “untimely.”
Asked if the Milei Government takes gender quotas into account when dealing with layoffs, the spokesperson downplayed this fact and assured that each job “is occupied by the best, the most capable and the that it has more qualities.
«Be a man, a woman, a transvestite or any other definition you can bring here to the question». EFE (I)
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