Hours after a much-anticipated transport walkout that caused headaches and chaos during the morning commute, the opposition CGT umbrella union led by Hugo Moyano warned it would call for a general strike before the end of the year if his demands for changes to the income tax floor are not met.
Pablo Moyano, the son of the CGT leader who heads the teamsters union, told Radio La Red his delegates had already passed “an action plan that includes a 24-hour or 48-hour strike” that will take place before the end of 2014.
“We were waiting for at least a signal from the president regarding the income tax,” Moyano said. “I cannot believe street cleaners in this country have to pay income tax.”
As in previous walkouts, the government did not reply directly to Moyano’s demands, limiting itself to calling on workers to “understand” the current economic situation. Moyano and President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner were close allies until late 2011.
The three-hour walkout staged by opposition transport unions from 4am to 7am left commuters without rush-hour services in both the City and Greater Buenos Aires yesterday.
Its effects, however, were felt throughout the day as many commuters decided to play it safe by driving their cars or taking taxis, worsening the already problematic traffic situation of downtown Buenos Aires.
SHORT BUT EFFECTIVE
The measure brought to a halt short- and long-distance bus services as well as the train lines connecting Greater Buenos Aires with the City, thus preventing several thousand people from reaching their jobs in the early morning hours.
Subway lines were also inactive until 7am, although incidents took place in several of the lines that delayed the start of service for hours (see below).
The three-hour stoppages also affected freight rail and temporarily halted the pickup of rubbish at ports. Numerous flight delays and cancellations were also reported at the Ezeiza and Jorge Newbery airports.
The head of the UGATT transport union Omar Maturano congratulated himself for the “one-hundred-percent participation rate,” while Unión Ferroviaria delegate Edgardo Reynoso said the Sarmiento train line — joining the Greater BA district of Moreno with the City station of Once — revealed services resumed “after noon” as several engine drivers decided to attend assemblies at different places in Buenos Aires province before attending their workplaces.
Incidents were also reported at the Constitución train station, because the first carriage left at 7.35am.
As for the demands that prompted the protest, Juan Carlos Schmid, leader of the CGT’s dredging and buoy-laying union, complained that the year-end bonus of “90 percent of workers” in his sector will end up being eaten up by the income tax, which is paid by all workers earning more than 15,000 pesos a month.
NO REPLY
Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich urged strikers to “show their solidarity with the Argentine people” because, he said, workers were the most affected by the walkout.
Minutes before boarding a plane headed for Brazil along with Economy Minister Axel Kicillof, Capitanich argued that resources resulting from the collection of the income tax are used for infrastructure and transport works.
“The government calls (its citizens) for understanding, we canot take care of everything.”
Interior and Transport Minister Florencio Randazzo said the walkout most affected those who “are less well-off.”
This response (or lack thereof) led the teamsters’ union to announce it was considering calling for a 24-hour or 48-hour strike.
Workers’ Leftist Front (FIT) lawmaker Néstor Pitrola said the move was “a huge warning” amid growing social unrest and predicted “a conflict-ridden December.”
Herald staff with DyN, Télam, online media