Argentina's Workers Prepare Massive March Against Neoliberalism

Argentina's main labor unions have convoked for a massive mobilization on Wednesday, defending labor rights against the neoliberal policies of President Mauricio Macri and rejecting of what they claim has been the criminalization of social protest.

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The joint general secretary of the CTA Autonoma, Ricardo Peidro, said the mobilization will involve both social organizations and labor unions.

Just like the previous protest staged in March, this time workers across the country will take to the streets to demand that the government implement the Bill of Social Emergency already passed in Congress.

Hugo Godoy, General Secretary of the Association of State Workers, or ATE, said authorities had to put an end to the persecution of social leaders. The union is preparing a bill meant to prevent the criminalization of protests in the country, he added.

Besides the national strike, teachers in Buenos Aires have announced this morning a 24-hours strike, marking once more the failure of the negotiations.

Since taking office in 2015, Macri has implemented austerity programs across numerous sectors of the country's economy.

Gas and electricity prices are rising. Jobs are being cut. Government institutions are downsizing while private companies linked to the ruling administration are getting tax cuts.

But Macri's rollback of social programs, implemented by previous progressive governments, is also thrusting many into the streets in protest of his administration.

Since early March, thousands of Argentine teachers in Buenos Aires have protested cuts to education. Members of the Union of Education Workers and the Teachers' Union of Buenos Aires led nationwide teachers' strikes against the government in response to salary decreases and school closings.