At 2:00 p.m., the session to discuss the labor reform project that La Libertad Avanza is promoting together with its allied blocs in Congress is expected to begin in the House of Representatives. A reform that in the name of “modernization” simply seeks to ensure that employers can dispose of the time and life of each worker as they wish, establishing a bank of hours to decide when your working day ends, eliminating overtime, entering vacations, lowering compensation and attacking the union organization and the right to strike so that it cannot be claimed.
It is for all these reasons that the anger against the reform grew day by day, leading to the scenario in which the CGT had to call a general strike to repudiate it. Faced with the demand to make it active, combative unions and the left promote early cuts and a mobilization at noon to fill the streets of Congress so that the reform falls.
Despite the threats from the Javier Milei government and the employers’ associations of discounts for joining and based on the fact that the leadership of the General Workers’ Union (CGT) called the strike at the last minute, without actions to strengthen it, or assemblies to organize it; The strike began in a forceful manner, showing massive compliance. The paralysis in trains, ports, factories and many other workplaces in industry and services is widespread.
A completely empty plant, with all lines paralyzed. This is how the national strike against the labor reform in Mondelez Pacheco begins. It is told by Julio Tévez, a plant worker and representative of the Bordó Group. pic.twitter.com/dShGbADbc7
— La Izquierda Diario (@izquierdadiario) February 19, 2026
Already on Wednesday night, aeronautical workers had joined the national strike, Aerolíneas Argentinas announced the cancellation of more than 250 flights. Almost simultaneously, the production lines of several factories were emptied. In the large oil companies of the Rosario-San Lorenzo cordon there was also compliance with the strike. Around midnight this Wednesday, the port service was also interrupted. The trains stopped running and will not return until Friday.
The NATIONAL STOP against the labor reform began
In La Matanza this is how the service stations are 👇👇 pic.twitter.com/fWvi6drRG2— Natalia Hernandez (@Hernand_nati) February 19, 2026
It becomes clear that the working class has the strength to propose defeating Milei’s slave labor reform. But, for that, it is necessary that these days are not isolated, but that they be part of a plan of struggle, in the perspective of the general strike, until the Government’s entire adjustment plan is defeated. It must be imposed with force organized from below on the CGT bureaucrats who are betting on making an agreement with the ruling party.
Source: www.laizquierdadiario.com
