General strike: “Milei’s challenge is that his plan brings improvements before society loses patience”

In less than half a year in power, the government of Javier Milei faced two general strikes against its adjustment policies in Argentina. The 24-hour strike led on Thursday, the 9th, by the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) was further proof that unionists do not intend to back down.

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“They are taking us to the extreme”, said Héctor Daer, one of the general secretaries of the CGT, the country’s main union, who celebrated “the forcefulness” of a strike that the Government insisted on minimizing.

During the day, the country’s streets seemed half empty and the impact on transport was evident. There was open commerce, but no customers and schools closed in the Argentine capital.

In dialogue with El Comercio, Juan Negri, Argentine political scientist at Torcuato di Tella University, highlights that the main objective of the strike and protests against the government aim to exert pressure so that the official “Basic Law” is not approved, also called of the “Omnibus Law”, which received half the approval of Deputies and is now under discussion in the Senate.

View of empty bus stops in front of Constitución train station during the May 9 general strike in Buenos Aires. (Photo: AFP)

—What does the fact that Argentina has had its second general strike so far during the Milei government tell us?

It reflects unionism’s discomfort with Milei’s economic program. As we know, the government carried out a very tough economic program that obviously had effects on vast sectors of society and on trade unionism, which has also historically been very strong in Argentina. I would add that trade unionism in this country is a fundamental part of the Justicialist Party (Peronism), which is currently in opposition, so the political perspective must also be taken into account. The strike is a political act by sectors opposed to the government who try to influence the sanction of the basic law.

– What is your goal?

The ultimate objective is to prevent the sanction of the bill that the government sent to Congress and which is currently being processed in the Senate.

—How much can the strike influence the progress of the Omnibus Law that is being evaluated in the Senate?

I think it might have some effect. The unions have already announced that they will accompany the Peronist senators who are willing to vote in favor, that is, they have issued a kind of warning and this creates a little pressure on some senators, which could affect the general sanction of the rule. Now, this will be determined by society’s final assessment of the success of this second general strike.

—How do you assess the impact of this second strike, observed mainly in the transport sector? Do you think the objective of the CGT was achieved?

It was a significant strike in some sectors. I think the CGT expected a bigger strike. That said, the effect on transportation has been noticeable and when compliance in this sector is high, it ends up impacting other sectors because it means that many workers cannot travel to the city of Buenos Aires or their workplaces from the surrounding area. On the streets it was clearly visible that the transport element had joined the strike, but the stores were open.

The president of Argentina, Javier Miei. (Photo by Juan MABROMATA / AFP) (JUAN MABROMATA/)

-How do you explain this?

I believe this has to do with the fact that the economic situation is very delicate and that there are many business owners or employees who cannot afford to stop because if they do so that day they will not be paid. I believe that the economic situation itself worked against unionism. Furthermore, it was a significant and important strike.

— The CGT celebrates “the forcefulness of the general strike”. How did the Executive and Milei respond?

The president minimized yesterday’s strike, didn’t give it much importance. For the government, it is an opportunity to continue with the “this is the caste” discourse that hampers the economic plan. I believe that the president benefits from a certain discredit that union sectors have in different sectors of society. Now, after the university march, which had greater repercussions, the government changed its tone a little and seemed more dialoguing, which leaves the impression that it is reacting to these events.

— Will Milei be able to approve the Omnibus Law before May 25, when the head of state called a meeting in Córdoba to sign the ‘May Pact’?

The odds are high. I would not dare say that it is certain that the law will be approved, but it has more chances compared to the version of the law that was presented at the end of the summer. I believe that the government is exerting greater political strength and has a greater negotiating attitude. The numbers are very good, but I believe that the government, given that it is determined to pass the law, will eventually achieve it. However, the truth is that it is still open.

—Do you think that the eventual approval of the Omnibus Law in the Senate will inflame tempers even more?

Not necessarily. I don’t think this will generate a wave of violence. It will be necessary to see whether the law can have a positive effect on the economic aspect. Obviously there will be very angry sectors. We will see heated speeches, political animosity, unrest, which is what Argentina has been experiencing in recent months in which there has been a very deep and intense political discussion. We will see this, as well as cross claims in the media against the senators who voted in favor. If there are Peronists who vote in favor, we will see a broad debate within the party. But social tension, understood as violence, I don’t think so.

—What are Milei’s biggest challenges?

The biggest challenge is to demonstrate that even though it is a very minority government, with an average of 10% in both chambers, it can approve legislation and give the signal that this is a viable political project. Today Milei’s main challenge is to demonstrate that what he proposes has continuity because I believe that several sectors are thinking that they like Milei’s proposal, but that in three years Peronism will return. Therefore, showing that there is a political structure behind its proposal is today the government’s biggest political challenge. The other big challenge is that the economic effects of your plan start to bring improvements before society loses patience.

Source: Elcomercio