Argentine President Javier Milei is advancing a “Labor Modernization” bill that significantly undermines workers’ rights, aligning with IMF demands. The legislation proposes longer workdays, reduced paid vacations, and slashed severance pay, marking a drastic regression to 19th-century conditions for laborers. The bill has backing from finance capital and business groups, leading to its expected approval in the Senate.
The Milei administration’s policies, including tariff cuts and deregulation, are resulting in massive job losses across various sectors, with 300,000 formal jobs already eliminated. Workers in the informal sector remain particularly vulnerable. Simultaneously, the administration is funding military buildup, including $650 million for U.S. F-16 jets, highlighting its alignment with U.S. interests amid significant economic instability.
Despite promoting a false narrative of economic stability, inflation continues to rise, intensifying social suffering. Opposition from union bureaucracies and pseudo-left groups appears misguided, prioritizing their privileges over the rights of the working class. The Milei administration’s authoritarian measures, including enabling warrantless arrests, reflect a descent into autocracy, resisting the growing unrest among workers.
