Two years after Javier Milei, the chief of staff, took office Manuel Adorni He held a press conference where he discussed various aspects of management and answered questions on the labor reform project that the government will submit to Congress. Among the points highlighted, he clarified the following The initiative does not envisage any changes to union funds or mandatory contributionsan issue that caused concern among union leadership.
The union finances outside of this reform
During the conference, Adorni directly answered whether there will be changes to the union funding system: “The changes that need to be made in union matters will be part of a second law; in principle there would be no changes.”he explained.
Specifically consulted about the Mandatory contributionshe remarked: “Compulsory contributions are mandatory, but there will be no changes”.
With this definition, the government wanted to defuse a conflict with the unions, which have expressed their opposition to various points in the work package.
The text of the reform is up for debate
As Adorni confirms, the labor reform project has already been completed. “The bill is ready. It will go to debate, it will be adopted and we will turn the tide because we will leave behind the 50 percent informality that exists in Argentina.”he assured.
The presidential spokesman also minimized the absence of the CGT at the last council meeting in May. He explained that the non-participation of Gerardo Martínez (UOCRA) was due to logistical reasons, as he was returning from a trip. “We have always had friendly and constructive discussions in previous meetings”he emphasized.
However, the CGT maintains a critical stance and analyzes violent measures. Martínez had sharply questioned the spirit of the reform in previous meetings, thereby straining relations with the executive.
Regarding the parliamentary treatment, Adorni admitted that the period could be extended: “We will see if it can be extended for a few days or if activity will resume in mid-January. That does not depend on us, but on the timing of the legislative technique.”he emphasized.
The government expects to analyze the labor reform later this year extraordinary meetingsalthough its approval could be delayed depending on the pace of Congress.
Relationship with the governors and criticism of Axel Kicillof
Another focus of the conference was the connection between the Casa Rosada and the governors. Adorni assured that the meetings with the provincial leaders “They will continue to be permanent.”particularly to advance the issues shared with the provinces.
However, when the governor of Buenos Aires was mentioned Axel Kicillofthe chief of staff took a harder tone: “There is little point in a session if the only thing that matters is that the government does poorly.”he started.
And he added that there were no common points for a common agenda: “We do not share an agenda with Kicillof. A meeting makes no sense and is not planned.”.
The government accuses the president of Buenos Aires of not collaborating on important legislation such as the anti-mafia law and of taking a position they consider obstructionist.
The CGT and the Council in May: an absence that tenses the climate
At the end of the year Mayo Council met without union representatives. Despite the tension, Adorni insisted that the absence was not due to a political collapse: “It had nothing to do with internal discussions of the CGT or with labor reform. The project is completed and Congress will discuss it.”he explained.
Since the last meeting, the climate with the unions has been tense. Martínez had questioned the project and publicly expressed his rejection of the “pro-business” orientation that he attributed to the government.
Nevertheless, the Milei administration moved forward with the final transcription of the technical draft, which was sent to all council members to provide written evidence of the level of consensus – or lack of consensus – on each item. The official intention is Publish all material on Argentina.gob.aradding the projects already completed and the documents provided by each sector.
The discussion about labor reform became one of the central issues on the political agenda. While the CGT Assesses direct action, the government insists that the project “Will not change” and that Congress will be the place where its approval will be decided.
In parallel, the battle with some opposition governors continues and the ruling party is trying to consolidate support in other areas of the political spectrum to advance its agenda.
Meanwhile, Adorni reiterated that the discussion on the trade union system would be postponed until later. “It will be part of a second law”he reiterated, leaving open a future phase of reforms that promises to reignite the debate between the government and trade union organizations.
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