ATE’s criticism of the labor reform: “It is an employer reform”

Deputy Secretary General Mercedes Cabezas assured that the government proposal does not aim to grant rights to informal workers

12/14/2025 – 7:35 p.m

The labor reform proposal promoted by Javier Milei’s government received strong criticism from the state workforce sector. Mercedes Cabezas, deputy secretary general of ATE Nacional, described the initiative as an “employer reform” that is not aimed at modernizing the labor market, but rather at it “Legalize job insecurity” that already exists in the country. The leader stressed that while informality is a long-standing problem affecting many governments, the solution is not to crystallize it, but rather to crystallize it “Give employees rights they don’t have today”.

In an interview with Radio Rivadavia, Cabezas strongly rejected the official argument that the reform is justified by the high rate of unreported employment. He argued that the solution is not to “change the laws downward” when it comes to the employment situation. As an example of an alternative path, the union member cited the case of Mexico, a country that “just….” Reduce working hours to create more white jobs.” For ATE, the reform proposed by the executive does not focus on granting rights to the worker, but on give the economy more flexibility.

ATE’s criticism of labor reform: hour bank and ultraactivity

The Deputy Secretary General of ATE pointed to two clauses of the project that she considers particularly regressive and harmful to the individual and collective rights of workers. Cabezas criticized the Hour Bank number for viewing it as a tool “eliminates worker control” about your personal time and life. “The employer has to tell you what days and how many hours you work, and you cannot use the time of your life. This is an outrage, because time is what no one gives you back,” he argued, pointing out the loss of personal autonomy that this mechanism would entail.

On the other hand, he pointed to the end of ultraactivity, a crucial point for the trade union movement. Cabezas explained that the project sets the end the ultra-activity of collective agreementswhich means that expired contracts must be renegotiated within a year. The worst thing, according to the chairman, is that it gives the Ministry of Labor the power to intervene and repeal clauses with which it does not agree. For the ATE union member, this is equivalent to telling the worker: “Tell me, government, how to work.”

The central debate: who generates wealth?

Cabezas questioned the axis from which the discussion on the reform starts, calling for a change of perspective and the positioning of the worker as the true engine of the economy.

The leader asked a fundamental question: “Where do you put the axis? Is it the employer who gives you work or the working class who creates wealth?” And he concluded: “If the working class creates wealth, then it has the right to discuss it. If it is the employer who gives you the job and you are the slave of that work, then he has the right to set the conditions he wants for you.”

Finally, the ATE representative noted that it is “very strange” that the reform proposal does not take into account the situation of highly precarious labor sectors such as delivery platforms (Rappi or Pedidos Ya). He argued that this was due to a “false view of entrepreneurship in Argentina,” when in reality “the possibility of an agreement for platform workers is being discussed around the world” that would provide them with a framework of protections and rights.