Thursday, December 22, 2011

Moyano: 'Our relationship with the Government is suspended'

CGT Labour Confederation leader Hugo Moyano stated today that, “our relationship with the Government is not broken, just suspended as the President wishes,” during a press meeting with international news correspondents.

“The communication with the president is not broken, it is suspended as she wishes. We have no intention to call for a general workers strike, but if conditions worsen, the workers will push towards a decision,” Moyano remarked.

Moyano lamented Fernández de Kirchner's decision to keep unionists out of the administration’s top posts. “We would have liked it to have more union members in her government, but she didn´t take this into consideration,” he protested.

“We don’t meddle in government business, so the government shouldn´t meddle in union business,” Moyano stressed. “What distances the administration from the Worker’s movement is their policies,” the leader insisted.

“There are a lot of Peronists in this government, we can´t measure the level of Peronism within, but the amount of disloyalty to Perón ideas,” Moyano stated.

Moyano's relationship with President Cristina Fernandez was harmonious until her husband and predecessor as president, Nestor Kirchner, died late last year, robbing the union boss of his main government ally.

Tensions between Fernandez and Moyano have become ever more obvious this year. In veiled references to the burly trucker, she has condemned union "extortion" in pay talks.
"We've been very clear," Moyano said. "A legitimate demand is not extortion."

Last week, Moyano stepped down as Buenos Aires province branch leader of the Peronist party because it is an “empty shell, void of Peronism,” he said in front of thousands at the Union rally.