The government of Argentina plans to withhold a day’s salary from state workers who participate in the January 24 strike organized by the CGT labor confederation.
The CGT, which is the biggest and most powerful union alliance in the country, has organized a nationwide strike for the upcoming Wednesday to express their opposition to President Javier Milei’s suggested changes in labor policies.
During his regular media briefing on Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Manuel Adorni voiced the opinion that it is justifiable for individuals who are unemployed to not receive their salary.
“He sarcastically commented that we are yet to receive a clear explanation for the strike and are waiting for the arguments supporting it.”
The CGT has already stated their rationale for the strike, which is to bring awareness to the extensive labor reforms mentioned in President Milei’s emergency decree and the comprehensive “Omnibus Law” bill.
Building on his point, Adorni expressed that the government’s toll-free telephone hotline for reporting wrongdoing would be operational on that specific day for individuals who feel pressured or compelled to participate in strikes. This allows them to submit an anonymous report to the authorities.
Spokesperson for President Milei expressed criticism towards union leader Pablo Moyano.
Adorni dismissively commented on Pablo Moyano’s statement about the country working, expressing confusion over what he meant by a “working country” and who exactly it was benefiting.
The representative also mentioned President Milei’s visit to Davos for the World Economic Forum, during which he gave a contentious speech criticizing concepts like “socialism,” “collectivism,” “radical feminism,” and climate change theories, along with various other subjects.
According to Adorni, it is common for Argentine presidents to attend these forums in order to maintain their reputation or simply to pass time. However, the current president has demonstrated his beliefs and vision for Argentina, and we are proud that Argentina is once again setting a positive example for the Western world.
The spokesperson stated that politicians and business leaders in Argentina eagerly embraced the process of change, urging local politicians to step up and support this significant moment in history as it begins to take shape.
Adorni was questioned about Argentina’s possible adoption of the US dollar as its official currency, a promise that Milei now appears to be less enthusiastic about. The inquiry arose after Economy Minister Luis Caputo, who was present at the event in the Swiss Alps, stated that the necessary conditions for dollarization in Argentina have not been met.
Caputo emphasized that it is not urgent to implement dollarization in Argentina as the country’s situation has greatly worsened in the recent quarter. He stated that the main focus should be on stabilizing the economy.
Adorni stated that Milei has been consistently discussing the importance of dollarisation for several months, emphasizing the concept of a currency competition, which is our guiding principle.
“This road consists of various stages. Presently, we are embarking on the step of introducing the Bases Law to Congress. The outcome of this crucial step will govern our subsequent actions. We firmly believe that the law will not be successful, and if it fails to gain approval, we will need to modify our approach,” he clarified.
– TIMES/NA
