2024-01-08 15:31:41
Inflation in December was 30%, much more in food and essential items, double since Milei took office. If Massa starved us and was unable to stop the increases, the Milei-Macri government’s megadevaluation was a declaration of war against working people.
By Executive Committee of the PSTU – Argentina
An immediate increase in salaries, pensions and social subsidies that doubles the minimum is essential, with a trigger clause for automatic monthly increase according to inflation.
The CGT must incorporate this wage claim into the strike and concentration. We have to hold assemblies by factory or workplace, to impose the demand for an increase on the government.
The DNU and Milei’s laws
As soon as he took office, Milei applied a Decree, which goes against the interests of the working class and popular needs, takes away the few labor achievements we had, and attacks Argentine sovereignty for the benefit of large multinational companies and the Monetary Fund. .
The labor articles are brutal and will not be stopped by a court ruling, determining among other things:
Elimination of compensation, replacing it with a much lower severance fund (as is the case in construction). That is, they reduce it and it will be paid in installments. Elimination of overtime, by establishing a “bank of hours”, which reduces the working day when there is little production, and stretches it as much as the employer needs when there is a lot. Extension of the “trial” period to 8 months. It will be “trial and dismissal”, much more than now. Expiry of collective agreements every year, removing the benefits achieved through decades-long struggles. Restriction of the right to strike and other forms of struggle, which will leave workers defenseless against employer attacks. Mass layoffs of State workers, which will continue with attacks on medical, nursing, teaching and other essential sectors. The struggles to resist these dismissals have already begun with massive assemblies and “remains.” Added to this are many other harmful measures, such as the privatizations of state companies that make profits and are efficient, such as YPF, Airlines, Railways, Banco Nación, etc. Benefits of all kinds for multinational companies that plunder our resources, and others that import everything, which will end up liquidating the industry that exists in Argentina. And the transportation increases that have already started, and that will take fares very high, the tremendous increase in fuel, and those that are coming in all rates for services, education and so on.
It is a package of measures that will increase poverty, take inflation through the roof, make work precarious and make our country much more dependent.
We all agree that things as they are are no better, but this is not the change we need. Milei said “freedom.” His laws and decrees mean freedom for the bosses to exploit us more every day, for less money. For the workers there is no freedom, but growing slavery.
We have to unite
Many colleagues who voted for Milei, fed up with the disaster of the previous government, did not expect this type of measures. Others still hope that things are not as bad as we say here. In the factories we are divided according to who we vote for. We have to unite, study the measures. Let us all agree to defend salaries and pensions, and not allow these measures to pass.
It is necessary to hold assemblies, meetings, talks among everyone, analyze what is coming. We suffer from inflation, low wages and precariousness, no matter who we vote for. We have to be together to defend ourselves.
The CGT strike
The CGT allowed all the abuses and salary declines, a poverty of 45%. that affects not only the unemployed, but a large part of those of us who have work. He does not defend us workers, but rather his own interests and privileges.
Now he has called for a rally with a strike starting at 12 noon, for January 24, against the government measures. He did it for two reasons. Firstly, because the government took all its measures without consulting them. They ask to be part of the negotiation of the surrender, to preserve their privileges.
On the other hand, they cover themselves because they know that in a short time the situation will be intolerable for the working class, they are afraid that we will kick them out.
They called for a strike, but far from starting to prepare it, they asked for interviews and sought a negotiation to end it.
We cannot trust these leaders. They were forced to call, but they can call up at any time, or lead us to a partial strike, which weakens us. Much less can we trust that, as the CGT says, it will be Justice that will stop Milei’s attack. We will only stop and defeat it if we are able to unite and fight forcefully until we win.
We need a great strike and mobilization to demonstrate that, beyond the lies of the government and the maneuvers of the unionists, we can unite and fight for our interests.
A strike that unifies the working class with all the sectors that are already mobilizing to resist, such as in state agencies or the assemblies that have emerged in the neighborhoods. In state sectors such as Culture, the assemblies have formed committees to extend the struggle, voting to coordinate with other sectors. Throughout the country they are holding assemblies and mobilizing in defense of their work and culture. The popular assemblies organize cacerolazos and measures in various cities of the country.
The bases have to take ownership of the strike and mobilization
It is necessary to demand assemblies, debate the government’s measures, propose and demand that it not be an isolated strike, but the beginning of a fight plan.
That demands an immediate and general increase in salary and pensions, under a formal agreement or in an informal situation, the “whitewashing” of all the precarious.
That the reinstatement of all dismissed state employees be imposed.
In the factory, department or union where the strike is voted, we have to appoint extension and conviction groups and commissions, which visit other companies in their area or union, to convince and unite everyone for the strike and mobilization.
We have to coordinate between different unions and organizations, join the popular assemblies that are emerging, the social movements, all sectors, to commit to maximum support for the strike and attendance at the rally.
Form groups that, on the day of the strike itself, tour neighborhoods, streets and cities guaranteeing the strike at 12, confronting the bosses’ maneuvers, helping the weakest, convincing the undecided, making the task of supervisors or rams difficult. Let them also prepare to defend the mobilization of the 24th if the government tries to repress it.
Organize from below, debate a fundamental solution for the country
All this is vital. To prevent them from lifting the strike, so that it comes out strong, with the greatest unity of our class.
To organize a network of coordinated and supportive organizations that continue the fight when the leaders want to surrender to the government.
And to debate among all not only the salary increase and the annulment of DNU and Laws, but a true alternative project of the working class and the people.
It is not about choosing between the disaster that the previous government left us, and the pro-employer measures of Milei, Macri and the IMF.
It is about building a new union and political leadership of the working class, which fights for workers’ rights and national independence, the break with the IMF, the non-payment of the debt, the use of all Argentine wealth at the service of a development plan for the majority, which ends the plundering of resources and the destruction of the environment.
A movement of struggle that leads us to a profound, revolutionary change, that expropriates the big capitalists that dominate our country with all the governments, and puts all decisions in the hands of democratic organizations of the working class and the people, a government of Those of us who produce all the wealth and are poorer every day. A workers’ government to build a new, different, working-class and socialist Argentina.
#salary #increase #DNU #antiworker #laws