by One day after the court ruling that, based on its presentation suspended the labor chapter of the megadecree presidential, the CGT leadership meets in reserve with Sergio Massathe failed presidential candidate of Unión por la Patria, to analyze the progress of Javier Milei’s government, evaluate the economic scenario and advance in the formation of a political table together with the rest of the power spaces of Peronism to articulate proposals that show that “there is another way” to that proposed by libertarian management.
The closed-door meeting between the union leaders and the former Minister of Economy during the administration of Alberto Fernández and Cristina Kirchner lasted almost four hours, according to what they told Clarion leaders who participated in the talk. And it served to review the reforms contained in the DNU and the omnibus law promoted by Milei and the economic decisions made official by Minister Luis Caputo.
In this context, Massa – who arrived at the meeting a few minutes late – warned the unionists that The middle class will be the main victim of the increases arranged by the Milei government, which involve the release of fuel prices, rates, the updating of prepaid fees, private schools and insurance.
“In March they will feel a huge drop in income“, warned the former candidate and maintained that during the final stretch of the campaign towards the runoff he lacked “vehemence” to warn society “what was coming in terms of increases and their impact on the pocketbook, the sources confided.
Facing the attentive gaze of two of the triumvirs of the Cegetista leadership –Pablo Moyano and Héctor Daer.– and the rest of the union members, the former minister also outlined a gloomy scenario regarding the meaning of the initial policies of the management of Freedom Advances. He stated in this regard that the sum of the adjustment and the technological revolution will produce strong damage to the labor base and that the indiscriminate opening of the economy “puts SMEs in crisis.” It also appeared as a “mistake” on the part of the Government to renounce forming the BRICS: “Without Brazil and China as allies there are sectors that are going to suffer,” he conveyed.
He also questioned the increase in the Country tax (which is particularly “weak” because it requires legislative ratification as does the increase in withholdings) and criticized the reform of the Federal Fisheries Lawalso questioned by the Patagonian governors and the naval industry, by highlighting that the opening of the Argentine Sea to indiscriminate fishing will mean more than 1 point drop in the gross product.
In addition to Moyano and Daer, the leaders Andrés Rodríguez (UPCN), Jorge Sola (Insurance), José Luis Lingeri (Sanitary Works), Juan Carlos Schmid (dredging), Cristian Jerónimo (glass) and Pablo Flores ( Afip).
The union members presented the details of the strategy they put in place to stop Milei’s megadecree and, in that sense, expressed their satisfaction with the precautionary measure ordered by the National Chamber of Labor Appeals that, in response to the CGT’s proposal, suspended the application of the labor reform contained in the DNU. In this regard, they also ratified the holding of the 12-hour general strike with mobilization that they called for January 24 and stated that they will begin with the round of meetings with the legislative blocks with the purpose of adding political muscle to confront the measures of the libertarian government.
The leaders of the union leadership informed Massa of their intention to advance in the assembly of “a debate table to show that there is another way“which Milei promotes and which the unions intend to add governors, the legislative blocs of Peronism and sectors of the business community. “We invite Massa to be the candidate for President who represents 11.5 million Argentines who voted for him and believe that there is another path and that we want to work with a debate program of proposals that the CGT will present,” the unionists stated.
And they added: “He told us that he will be where we invited him. That he wants to help with the idea of showing that there is another path other than adjustment and devaluation, but he wants to do it from the discussion of ideas and not from political leadership.”
On the other hand, during the talk, Massa confided to the union bosses his commitment to continue doing politics but in an aid mode, and that he is finishing closing labor contracts with two companies and a university abroad, a situation for which he will be out of the country between 6 and 7 days per month.
