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On Thursday in Argentina there was a large and well-participated general strike, which caused the closure of banks, schools and many shops. Trains, subways and most public transport services did not run, with the exception of some bus companies. Many airline flights were also cancelled. The strike was organized by the main Argentine trade union, the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), against the cuts in public spending and the labor reform envisaged by the so-called “omnibus law” desired by the Argentine president Javier Milei and currently under discussion in parliament.
The reform of Milei, an ultra-liberalist elected in December 2023, involves the privatization of many public companies, the substantial cut of many subsidies and social programs and an overall reform of the labor market, defined as “modernization”. The law also provides for the transfer of many legislative powers into the hands of the government, with a substantial reduction in the influence of parliament, where the president’s party, La Libertad Avanza, has limited representation. The law is also supported by Milei’s main government ally, the right-wing Juntos por el Cambio party: it was approved in the Chamber and is now being examined by the Senate.
Milei and government officials criticized the strike and questioned its actual success, despite the high level of support among workers in every sector. This is the second general strike against Milei’s reforms in five months of his presidency: the first was at the end of January.
The Retiro train station (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
