Argentine Workers Call for General Strike Against Macri

Workers unions have called for a general strike to protest that Argentine President Mauricio Macri vetoed a law that would have forbidden layoffs.

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"The veto is legal, but not legitimate, the workers want and need this law to guarantee their sources of employment, so the response must be immediate," said Pablo Micheli, one of the leaders organizing the strike, which includes more than 20 unions in the country.

In the first five months of Macri's administration, over a 150,000 people have lost their jobs.

This is the first time that the new president used his veto capacity to overturn a law, as the bill had been previously approved by the Senate. The bill declared a labor emergency and forbid layoffs for 180 days.

Macri blames former President Cristina Fernández of supporting this law, which he says discourages investment.

Workers unions had organized a strike against Macri in April, as more than 150,000 people have lost their jobs since the conservative government took power.