Argentina’s Labor Leaders Warn of Resistance to President-Elect Milei’s Radical Reforms
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Right-wing populist Javier Milei has been president-elect just four days and already Argentina’s unions and social organizations are vowing pushback and even protests if he makes good on his promises to slash the size of the state and privatize companies.
Milei, who famously campaigned with a revving chainsaw to demonstrate what he would do to public spending, says radical measures are needed to get the South American country’s moribund economy back to life and reduce annual inflation of 140%.
The day after winning the election with a wider than expected margin, 56% to 44%, the libertarian said in a radio interview that “everything that can be in the hands of the private sector will be in the hands of the private sector.” He has said he wants to privatize state-owned media companies and state-run oil and gas firms, and has raised the possibility of privatizing water distribution and train service, as well as ending all public works.
Labor union leaders said Thursday they are paying close attention to what the libertarian president-elect says and what they are hearing is in opposition to their interests, the AP reported.
“We clearly have as a central idea for the country development, with production and the creation of jobs, and it seems that all (Milei’s) affirmations about cuts in the economy, about privatizations and other things do not go down this path,” Héctor Dear, the secretary general of the powerful General Confederation of Labor umbrella organization, said following a meeting with labor leaders.
The most emphatic opposition so far to Milei’s privatization plans came from the head of the Airline Pilots Association, Pablo Biró, who said Wednesday that Milei “will have to literally kill us” to go through with his plan to change the ownership structure of state-owned airline Aerolineas Argentinas.
Most labor leaders, however, have emphasized a wait-and-see attitude, saying they’re on alert but recognize Argentines voted for Milei and will wait for him to implement policies.
Milei has warned of inevitable pain ahead as a result of his policies, repeatedly saying that “there is no money,” noting “it’s likely we’ll have to endure six tough months, but they will be the foundation for Argentina’s takeoff.”
He has also recognized there’s likely to be protests as a response to his policies.
Argentina has a long tradition of labor unions and powerful social organizations that block roads and carry out strikes to protest as a way to pressure the government to heed their demands, and respecting the right to protest has been a hallmark of most of the governments that have ruled the country over the past two decades.