Strike in Argentina: from Brazil to Brussels, unions to march in solidarity 

Argentines will protest Milei's economic reforms in squares and outside embassies across Europe and the Americas

Unions from all over Europe and Latin America will march in support of the national strike in Argentina this Wednesday, which is organized by the General Confederation of Labor (CGT, by its Spanish initials). 

Argentine migrants will also protest in squares around the world to reject President Javier Milei’s sweeping economic, labor and state reforms.

Workers from all sectors will strike and march in Buenos Aires and around Argentina on Wednesday to reject Milei’s massive economic deregulation decree and his government’s 523-article “omnibus bill”. Between them, they modify or eliminate hundreds of laws, making drastic changes to many aspects of Argentina’s social and economic life. The decree includes a major labor reform that is temporarily on hold thanks to a court-ordered stay, and could be declared unconstitutional.

A global action against Milei’s measures will take place on Wednesday following an agreement between Argentina’s three trade union federations — the CGT and the two branches of the Argentine Workers’ Central, CTA-A and CTA-T — and the Americas’ Union Confederation, the International Unions’ Confederation and over 100 unions from all over the world. This includes France, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Colombia and others.

The Worldwide Unions’ Federation, which groups unions in 133 countries, called its affiliates to show solidarity with Argentina’s workers and march during Wednesday.

Six French union confederations called on their members to protest in front of the Argentine embassy in Paris on Wednesday at 6 p.m. local time. Last week, the organizations released a joint statement saying Milei’s measures “pose grave threats to democracy and Argentine citizens’ fundamental rights” and that the decree and the bill “question the country’s democratic foundation, break the separation of powers, and violate the Argentine Constitution.”

Uruguay’s lone trade union federation, PIT-CNT, will march to the Argentine embassy in Montevideo at 1 p.m. Wednesday. In a release, the organization accused Milei of “savage cuts” against the Argentine people and “criminalizing protest.”

Spain’s General Workers’ Union and Confederation of Workers’ Commissions Trade Union will march to the Argentine embassy in Madrid on Wednesday at 5.30 p.m., local time. In a release published Tuesday, they said that Milei’s way of questioning of the rule of law and the policies he is pursuing “are being praised by the Spanish alt-right.”

Brazil’s Workers’ Central said in a statement that after Milei took office “the government adopted a perverse combination of radical political authoritarianism with dictatorial tendencies and ultra-liberal policies that mostly undermine workers.”

Argentine migrants are organizing protests at the country’s embassies and in squares in major cities including Berlin, Paris, Toulouse, Madrid, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Mexico City, Lisbon, New York, Rome and London. Some will involve banging pots and pans, a form of protest known as cacerolazo in Argentina and the region.

You may also be interested in: Flights, buses, and subways: here’s how public services will work during the strike

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