Synopsis
In Buenos Aires, Argentine railway workers have gone on strike, demanding higher wages, a situation criticized by President Milei's government as it leaves a million passengers stranded. The strike, led by La Fraternidad union, calls for a significant wage increase amidst rising inflation.Key Takeaways
- Railway workers in Argentina strike for higher wages.
- Strike duration was six hours, affecting local services.
- Workers demand a 46% wage increase; government offers only 3.5%.
- Estimated loss of over 100 million pesos to the government.
- Long-distance services to Mar del Plata remained operational.
Buenos Aires, Jan 29 (NationPress) Railway workers in Argentina initiated a strike on Tuesday, seeking enhanced wages, a decision that has faced criticism from President Javier Milei's administration for stranding a million commuters.
The six-hour halt, led by the La Fraternidad union, suspended local and regional train services in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area from 9 am to 3 pm local time (1200 GMT to 2100 GMT).
On January 21, the union declared the strike, demanding higher wages and an additional 153,000 pesos (approximately 145 US dollars), which constitutes 10 percent of a worker's salary, to mitigate the cost of a basic food basket and address the purchasing power erosion caused by inflation.
The state-owned entity Trenes Argentinos Operaciones stated on Monday that the strike would impact nearly a million passengers.
"This strike is projected to cost the National State over 100 million pesos in fare revenue from passengers unable to travel," it was mentioned.
Railway personnel are advocating for a 46 percent wage increase to counter the purchasing power decline since Milei's government assumed office in December 2023, while officials have proposed a mere 3.5 percent increase, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
As a result of the strike, the Argentine government incurred losses exceeding 100 million pesos in fare collections.
According to Trenes Argentinos Operaciones, long-distance services departing to and from Mar del Plata were not affected during the strike period.
Trenes Argentinos oversees numerous urban passenger lines including Sarmiento, Mitre, San Martin, Roca, Belgrano Sur, and Tren de la Costa, along with regional services in Entre Ríos, Salta, Chaco, Neuquén, and Cordoba; and long-distance routes such as Buenos Aires to Mar del Plata, Pinamar, Cordoba, Rosario, Junín, Justo Daract, Bragado, and Tucuman.
It also has an operational agreement with the company Casimiro Zbikoski for the Posadas-Encarnación service.
