The income tax announcement made by President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner after a controversial tussle between the government and unions have prompted reactions, both against and in favour of a long-waited decision.
Head of the pro-government splinter of the CGT labour confederation Antonio Caló considered the Cristina Fernández de Kirchner administration “gives answers when you dialogue», praising Ms. Kirchner for exempting the half-year bonus from the income tax for those who earn less then 35,000 pesos from income tax deductions.
Workers, he said, will now celebrate year-end holidays “in accordance with their needs.”
“This is (the result) of the whole labour movement. I have heard some colleagues saying that this decision came because they pressured (the government). They have made a general strike and demonstrations and had no answer. The government gives answers when you dialogue,” Caló affirmed adding that the CGT splinter he commands managed to make authorities understand «this was the best for the country and workers.”
Downplaying criticism he received from anti-government union leaders, the also leader of metallurgical workers said he “thanked the President” for the decision “not personally but in the name of workers,” considering CFK is “conducting the government the way she has to do it.”
In the meantime, Secretary General of the Taxi Drivers Union Omar Viviani celebrated yesterday’s news considering it was already time to “turn the page for the year.”
“Our Secretary General Antonio Caló and other colleagues, have been holding meetings with (cabinet chief) Jorge Capitanich and economy minister (Axel Kicillof), requesting the income tax exemption. We now see that things happen. We have to be persistent,” Viviani affirmed.
“Nobody is saying to not pay taxes but it is also true that in some salaries (income tax impact) is too harsh,” he said in statements to media today.
“We have to have clear in mind that when the (pro-government) CGT requested the Executive branch (to address) come questions, they have been resolved. In particular, the announcement by the president means that more than 800,000 workers will be exempted from income tax, it is a very important figure.”
“We don’t take it neither as a triumph nor as a defeat. We carry out the job we have to do, without big statements or media scandals but working consciously,” Viviani insisted.
In tune with statements by Antonio Caló and Omar Viviani, Secretary General of the UOCRA construction union Gerardo Martínez said Wednesday’s announcement “shows the sensitivity” of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner facing a “ fair demand”.
“(The announcement) did not take me by surprise because besides understanding the position the national government had, this shows once more the sensitivity the president has regarding a fair demand, she has a strategic vision,” Martínez siad when queried by reporters this morning about Ms. Kirchner’s decision, adding that de income tax debate responds to a 10-year period of robust growth that resulted in a “wage-earning society, something that did not exist before.”
“That responds to a productive logic, to a model and a national project that has allowed to recover production,” the UOCRA leader affirmed.
“This society of domestic market, of national industry, of hundreds or millions of workers constitutes a new era in the Argentine society to be discussing now questions such as income tax.”
Still, other union representatives voice their criticism over the income tax exemption.
Spokesman of the UPSA aeronautic personnel union Marcelo Uhrich considered the announcement “an aspirin for a cancer patient.”
A promoter of the strike that halted public transportation services last week, Uhrich urged the government to revise the income tax floor and address inflation claims.
“I celebrate that (President Kirchner) has listened to our demand. This is palliative; it is not a long-term solution because here the economic problem that is affecting workers is inflation, that is the real scourge.”
“Nowadays we have an inflation that, according to reports, is hitting 40 percent from September to September, neutralizing any salary agreement. If not, we will have to close collective bargaining negotiations with a 45 percent (hike) and then everything falls apart,” the UPSA member assured.
buenosairesherald.com