He April 23 a true one tide covered 70 cities from all over the country, with 1.2 million university students who took to the streets with a clear message in defense of public education and universities. May this October 2nd show once again the strength of the working people for their rights, against Milei’s veto of the University Financing Law, for the victory of the teachers’ struggle for salary recomposition and for all the struggles of the workers and retirees to win. Trade unions must call for a strike and mobilization so that a massive turnout can be guaranteed.
Various unions and teachers’ federations have already announced a strike. In the case of university students, Conadu Histórica and Conadu are striking this week and on October 2nd. In the case of teachers, CTERA has also called for a strike on Wednesday 2/10. However, the unions such as the CGT and the CTA, while adhering to the mobilization, have not called for a national strike that would allow for the strong participation of all workers.
The university budget for 2024 will be the lowest in real terms in the last 30 years. The cuts to universities have already accumulated 30% so far this year, compared to the same period last year, as can be seen from the report prepared by the Congressional Budget Office. Progress scholarships were adjusted by 65%. The salaries of university teachers and non-teaching staff have lost 55 percentage points compared to inflation since December. The government will continue to make adjustments for the year 2025.
This Tuesday afternoon, the Trade Union Front of National Universities, together with the National Interuniversity Council and the Argentine University Federation, held a press conference to announce that they will join the New Federal University March for next October 2 that were calling for teaching and non-teaching unions from universities. From this the Thursday 26th to Saturday 28th they also carry out a national university strike to raise awareness and demand wage readjustment, and to prepare for the march on 2/10.
Likewise, the day of struggle and visibility this week called by the university students included this Tuesday a symbolic embrace of the Clínicas Hospital by its professionals and workers, a symbolic embrace, located in the City of Buenos Aires. They had the support of students, patients and the community. Also of other social sectors that reject Milei’s adjustment.
The objective of the Mobilization that will head to the National Congress on Wednesday of next week is to demand the promulgation of the University Financing Law and reject the presidential veto of Javier Milei.
Milei announced that she will veto the University Financing Lawalthough its impact in budgetary terms is only 0.14% of GDP and it is a recomposition of the adjustment already made, it does not mean an improvement with respect to the previous deterioration, although it does mean a “shield” against future attempts at inflationary liquefaction.
The budget project that Milei sent to Congress on Monday contemplates $3,857,559 ($3.8 billion) in the year 2025. This means only a 28.5% increase compared to the cut university budget for 2024despite the fact that the Government’s inflation projection for this year is 104.4% and for the whole of 2025, 18.3%
In the country, there are 115 universities of which 62 are public and they concentrate 80% of the 2.5 million students. Son 190 thousand families families that depend on university teaching salaries.
It is necessary to organize from below and in assemblies the broadest unity to demand a serious plan of struggle from the union leaders so that the university struggle wins and in support of the ongoing struggles. For example, the aeronautical workers who are fighting against the privatization of Aerolíneas Argentinas and for the right to strike who will mobilize this Wednesday. The fights carried out by the retirees because more than 4 million receive a minimum wage that is not even enough for 10 days of the month and Milei vetoed a measly increase of $17,000. The fight of the workers in the Health sector such as in the Garrahan Hospital who are also fighting for a salary increase after having lost 36% with Milei. Or, the workers in the State who are the center of the ideological attack of the government, with layoffs and salary pulverization. Among many other struggles throughout the country.
We have to unite what the government, big business and union bureaucracies seek to divide. In that unity and in the streets lies the strength to overthrow the adjustment plan of Milei and the IMF.
Source: www.laizquierdadiario.com
