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The Government granted a new raise to state employees, but a union remains on the warpath - Infobae
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El Gobierno otorgó un nuevo aumento a los empleados estatales, pero un sindicato sigue en pie de guerra
Se otorgó una mejora del 8% en marzo para los trabajadores del sector público. ATE, el gremio más combativo de la actividad, rechazó el incremento y denunció que es una maniobra para que levanten el paro de 48 horas en el Senasa
www.infobae.com
March 25, 2024
An 8% improvement was granted in March for public sector workers. ATE, the most combative union in the activity, rejected the increase and denounced that it is a maneuver to lift the 48-hour strike in Senasa
By Ricardo Carpena
While UPCN would accept the Government's salary offer, ATE warned that it could reject it and denounced an official maneuver
The Government granted a salary increase of 8% in March for employees of the national public administration and public organizations, although at the meeting this afternoon where the improvement was defined, with the presence of the two state unions, one of them rejected the figure and ratified the forceful measures against the adjustment and layoffs in the State.
Representatives of the Union of Civil Personnel of the Nation (UPCN) , led by Andrés Rodríguez, and the Association of State Workers ( ATE), directed by Rodolfo Aguiar.
While UPCN accepted the increase and highlighted that it represents a cumulative total of 175.72% in the period June 2023-March 2024, ATE rejected the increase as insufficient and considered that the state joint meeting was “a maneuver” so that the union lift the 48-hour strike planned for this Tuesday and Wednesday due to the possible dismissal of employees of the National Agri-Food Health and Quality Service (SENASA), which will paralyze ports, airports and customs.
The general secretary of the national ATE, Rodolfo Aguiar
The measure of force, according to the union member, “will have a strong impact on the economy and completely stop international trade in our country.” “We are not going to accept that workers are held responsible for the impact on exports and we are not going to allow illegal layoffs to be carried out,” Aguiar warned when announcing the 48-hour strike.
The strike, as expected, will limit the entry of foreign currency for a few hours since it will stop exports and could cause unauthorized products to enter the country.
This morning, the leader published a message on social networks addressed to Javier Milei: “With this maneuver (by the state joint venture) you are trying to get us to lift the ATE strike and that is not going to happen. We also inform you that we will reject your offer again if it does not guarantee the full recovery of the lost purchasing power. In just three months his government has destroyed salaries and pensions. Also, do not forget that the proposal must contemplate the reinstatement of all laid-off workers and the automatic renewal of the 70,000 contracts that expire at the end of the month. "We do not believe that in today's negotiations there can be any agreement."
Finally, he said: “You are not going to change and neither are we. You will continue trying to weaken the State to its minimum to guarantee the interests of its constituents, the corporations. And we will continue to deepen the fight. You'll see. We are going to stop it with strike and mobilization!”
Andrés Rodríguez, head of UPCN and leader of the CGT
The new instance of the state joint meeting this afternoon was scheduled for the end of last week and was postponed. It was the continuity of the last meeting, held on the 19th of last month, in which the Government announced a 12% increase in February for the sector. The salary improvement was accepted by UPCN and rejected by ATE, which warned that "it is the Government that is pushing us into conflict."
According to union sources, with that 12% that was granted, the cumulative total of the 2023-2024 joint period (June-February) was 155.30% salary increase for national public administration workers included in the collective agreement 214/ 06. Last January, the Government had ordered a 16% increase in the salaries of State personnel.
The last meeting at the Ministry of Labor of Government officials with ATE and UPCN
This scenario is complicated by the expiration of thousands of contracts in the State that will not be renewed, on the 31st of this month, something that will trigger new union protests. Aguiar estimated that “there are more than 70,000 contracts that expire on March 31” and anticipated: “We are going to define new force measures that will allow us to avoid a scenario of massive layoffs at the end of the month. Times are accelerating and we cannot wait until April to carry out a new general strike. Rights are being eradicated, jobs are being destroyed and the income of workers, retirees and popular sectors is being demolished. The labor confederations should anticipate their call for a new national strike.”
The union denounced the dismissal of 1,200 ANSES employees by the national government and assured that the layoffs are beginning to be felt in the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), in the National Geographic Institute and in the National Meteorological Service.
