In a press conference to address the strike on the Sarmiento railway today, Interior and Transport Minister Florencio Randazzo criticised what he described as an “absolutely extorsive attitude” from workers lead by Railway Union head Rubén Sobrero.
The railway employees went on strike at midnight, for a 40% salary increase among other claims. Randazzo explained that only five of 13 formations worked today.
During his briefing to the press, the Transport Minister rejected the workers’ demands. “They don’t have the right to the compensation they’re asking for,” he said and explained that there is a salary agreement in place that expires on May 31 and added that the workers have already received a 2,000 pesos wages increase.
“We are dealing with a completely extorsive attitude from a group of workers that today decided to go on strike in an irresponsible way,” Randazzo said and added: “127,900 hours have been lost on strikes this year”.
Randazzo said the strike is being carried out in the context of the “most important railway investment process in the past 60 years” and described it as “senseless, mad”.
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