The Government assured that it reached an agreement with the National Interuniversity Council (CIN) to increase the operating expenses of the institutions by 140% to $14,224,732,213 monthly starting in May. In addition, they ordered a 70% increase for university hospitals. However, CIN sources told THE NATION that it is a proposal and “there is no agreement.” Later, the CIN itself published a statement in which it reiterated that it was not an agreement, but rather “an announcement from the Government.”
The government stated that it will increase 70% of operating expenses, which adds to another 70% that the government had already announced one day before the first university strike, on March 14. The Government, however, decided to extend the same 2023 budget, so it is an increase that does not even cover half of it based on the inflation of the last 16 months, which exceeds 300%.
“We appreciate that our position is taken into account, it is a step forward, but it is not everything we are demanding and what we need. Our approach is 300%,” CIN sources highlighted to this medium.
In that sense, they stressed that the call for the federal university march on March 23 is maintained and they will participate after the work table with the Government the next day. “We are willing to dialogue, as always,” they said.
As announced on Thursday night by the Ministry of Human Capital, the agreement has the following points:
- In accordance with the provisions of the National Government, a 70% increase was established in March, bringing the allocation for operating expenses to $10,075,851,995 per month for the National Universities and another 70% in the month of May, reaching $14,224,732,213 per month. totaling a 140% increase over the base allocation of $5,926,971,777 per month. In addition, an extraordinary amount of $14,403,479,661 was made available to meet the needs of the university hospitals.
- A meeting will be held at the Undersecretary of University Policies with the Executive Committee of the CIN (National University Council) to talk about how, together, we will advance in the changes that society demands, at the same time that we commit to achieving a university education of quality.
- It was agreed to advance jointly between the National Government and the National Universities, as indicated in article 2 of the Higher Education Law No. 24,521, in a joint audit program that improves and perfects the existing audit systems.
Tension has been increasing between public institutions and the Government in recent weeks. With the leadership of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), the universities request an update, at least for inflation. Next Tuesday, April 23, a federal educational march will be held throughout the country with the impetus of the university authorities.
“We support the proposal of necessary increases for operating expenses and student scholarshipsupdating of teaching and non-teaching salaries and reactivation of science, research and extension policies and financing of works,” the CIN said in a public statement.
The Council that brings together all the universities stressed that the call for next Tuesday’s march is still standing. “The march called for Tuesday, April 23, to which the CIN calls and adheres, will take place as plannedsince it is an activity of vital importance for make the situation visible that runs through the national university and scientific system,” they stressed.
No agreement on salaries
The Argentine Federation of National University Workers (Fatun) stated that it had a meeting this Thursday with the Undersecretary of University Policies to discuss salary issues. “The increase set at 8% eight percent on basic salaries for the month of March is absolutely insufficient in view of the evolution of the consumer price index that was recorded in the last quarter,” said the union.
“The national government once again lacks respect for the ways in which it handles these types of negotiation instances.without offering the possibility of even maintaining a dialogue between both parties, knowing that the general level joint venture has always been an area of negotiation and consensus about the evolution of our salaries,” Fatun remarked.