This Friday the registered employment data (SIPA) for December 2025 was released and showed a new drop in employees. So far in Javier Milei’s government 288,815 employeesthat is, registered private and public workers and private household workers, lost their jobs (December 2025 versus November 2023). In the same period, 159,501 new monotributistas were registered.
Luis Camposcoordinator of the Social Law Observatory (CTA Autónoma), warned on the social network
2. In the private sector the decline is alarming. Employment does not find a floor. There have been seven consecutive months of destruction at a fairly significant rate. In these two years, more than 200,000 employees have lost their jobs. pic.twitter.com/ML1KABHvJV
— Luis Campos (@luiscampos76) March 13, 2026
According to the specialist, “during Javier Milei’s management there were three very marked phases. Accelerated destruction of jobs in the first half of 2024. Relative stabilization until mid-2025. And new phase of destruction starting in June 2025.”
Industry on alert
Within the registered private sector, the sectors most affected in the Milei era (December 2025 versus November 2023) are: manufacturing industry (-65,437 jobs); construction (-62,257); real estate activities (-23,716) and transportation, storage and communication (-18,306).
Of the 15 sectors of the private sector, only 5 registered more jobs during the La Libertad Avanza government, among which are agriculture, fishing, and commerce. However, these sectors only explain 32% of total registered private employment.
Campos warned that “at the sectoral level, all the attention goes to the industry. In 2025, almost 40,000 jobs were lost, the vast majority in the second half. The feeling is that 2026 does not seem to have started better” and added that “the biggest concern is beginning to be on the side of trade. In the second half of 2025, it entered a contractionary phase that, if it deepens, could have even more serious effects on the labor market.”
5. At the sector level, all the attention goes to the industry. In 2025, almost 40,000 jobs were lost, the vast majority in the second half. The feeling is that 2026 does not seem to have started better pic.twitter.com/na6rAqkA9Y
— Luis Campos (@luiscampos76) March 13, 2026
6. However, the greatest concern is beginning to be on the trade side. In the second half of 2025, it entered a contractionary phase that, if it deepens, could have even more serious effects on the labor market. pic.twitter.com/SnWB1ArKsb
— Luis Campos (@luiscampos76) March 13, 2026
This Friday, Indec announced the use of the installed capacity of the industry in January and It stood at 53.6%, the lowest level in the last decade for the first month of the year. At the sector level, the use of installed capacity shows what is happening with activity: higher levels in energy and mining and very low in industries that target the domestic market. In January, the sectors with the highest utilization of installed capacity were concentrated in oil refining (86.8%), basic metal industries (67.6%) and chemical substances and products (64.8%). For their part, the sectors that reflected lower installed capacity are textile products (23.7%), the automotive industry (24%) and metalworking (31.4%).
This week the dismissal of 220 workers from the Tulipán condom factory (Kopelco SA) was announced, Lumilagro fired 170 workers, Electrolux launched a voluntary retirement plan to fire workers. These news have not yet impacted the official data. He coordinator of the Social Law Observatory (CTA Autonomous)pointed out that “the December employment data still does not include a large part of the cases that were highly visible in the summer. But the trend is clear: formal employment entered a phase of very strong destruction that has not found its floor for now.”
In this context of collapse of industrial employment The tension between Milei and the industrialists continues. This week the president reiterated his criticism of Rocca y Madanes Quintanilla in New York at the opening of Argentina Week. The Argentine Industrial Union (UIA) published a statement in response to Milei where it expressed its deep discomfort and concern at what it considered an “unfair grievance.” The fight will continue, the president needs culprits for the drift of his plan and the bosses protect their class interests.
The Government celebrates precarious employment
Meanwhile, the Minister of Deregulation and Transformation of the State, Federico Sturzeneggercelebrated the creation of some 400,000 new jobs in the last two years on the social network
The minister celebrates that precarious employment has been created. The official recognizes that the growth in total employment is made up of informal and independent positions (self-employed) and there is a drop in formal jobs. Sturzenegger justifies that “there are changes in more flexible work modalities (single tax) and more outsourcing (self-employed).” According to the official, that is why they promoted the labor reform. Of course the Government confesses that it wants slaves and that is why it promoted sweeping away labor rights.
The economy is stagnant and job losses and falling wage purchasing power are likely to continue.
The struggle of FATE workers for their jobs is an example. On February 19, billionaire businessman Madanes Quintanilla closed the factory and wants to leave more than 900 workers on the street. Since then they stood up to defend their source of work, remaining in the plant, mobilizing, organizing the active solidarity of the neighborhood and the community, with festivals and actions, coordinating with other sectors.
In the face of closures and layoffs, it is necessary to unite the demands of all sectors, private and public, employed and unemployed, to defend jobs and salaries, in addition to resisting the application of labor reform. An exit of another kind is necessary to reorganize the country from below.
Source: www.laizquierdadiario.com
