Public transport union in Argentina will strike this Tuesday due to wage demand

Published at: 05/05/2025 10:52 PM

The Automotive Tram Union (UTA) of Argentina, reiterated this Monday, May 5, its decision to carry out a 24-hour strike, in much of the country, of urban and suburban buses, demanding wage improvements in the face of government attempts to stop the protest.

The Prensa Latina portal points out that the union's leadership specified that an agreement was not reached with the national authorities for a salary of 1,700,000 pesos (1,620 dollars), so it will stop calling for more than 300 lines only in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires, which covers the capital plus 40 municipalities of the homonymous province.

It indicates that the national government is seeking to curb the measure of force. The Chief of Staff, Guillermo Francos, called for the labor action to be rescinded and urged to open a dialogue with the new Secretary of Transportation, Luis Pierrini, after the ejection last Friday of Franco Mogetta, the television channel Crónica reported this Monday.

The government announced that with the purpose of unlocking the wage dispute, the Secretary of Transportation participated in the crucial meeting this Monday together with representatives of the union and the business chambers of the industry.

Roberto Fernández, leader of the union, indicated that they took the decision after the mandatory conciliation issued by the executive ended without any resolution regarding the request for a wage increase.

In its statement, the UTA explained that businessmen in the sector offered a remuneration increase for the months of February, March, April, May and June of less than 6.0%, at a time when inflation continues to rise and in this May the rates of electricity, gas, water, rents, prepaid clinics and transport increased again.

“This is a total lack of respect for workers,” Fernández said.