privatizations, labor reform and elimination of the retirement moratorium

This Wednesday the Senate will debate and vote (eventually) on the bill. Base Lawwhich already had half a sanction in the Chamber of Deputies. The president of the UCR, Martín Lousteau, presented an alternative project that, to be treated in its entirety, Javier Milei’s original project should fall in the Senate. So far, the Government does not seem to have guaranteed the votes to approve it in general; Although, it is not ruled out that it could be approved with modifications. In that case, The project presented by the radical senator could be a basis for negotiation, with which, according to the president of the Unión por la Patria bloc, José Mayans, Peronism could bring positions closer together..

Between the palace and the streets, for this Wednesday, different sectors of unionism, social organizations and the left, call for a mobilization in front of Congress, to reject the bill. From the sectors of combative unionism and the Left Front, the total rejection of the Bases Law is proposedwhich only benefits large national and foreign companies, and proposes offloading the costs of the crisis on the working people and the majority.

What does the Lousteau Opinion say? The senator has been gaining notoriety for his effusive speech rejecting the delegation of powers to the Executive Branch; Even so, in his opinion, he raises the delegation of legislative powers for one yearso that President Milei can modify or eliminate public organizationsas well as advance privatizations of state companies. On the other hand, it raises aspects of a regressive labor reform for workers. And holds the elimination of the retirement moratoriumwhich would particularly affect women.

State Reform

Lousteau’s project supports the delegation of legislative powers to the president, for at least one year, to dispose of public organizations as desired and, with it, the employment destiny of the thousands of workers in the public sector.

“The National Executive Branch is empowered to provide, in relation to the bodies or agencies of the central or decentralized administration,” says the draft Lousteau In the first chapter. In this way, it seeks to deliver on a plate the possibility of “modifying or eliminating legally established powers, functions or responsibilities.” And also advance the “total or partial dissolution” of public organizationsas well as the possibility of transferring them to the provinces or the City of Buenos Aires”.

These powers would be handed over to a president who days ago said: “I love being the mole within the State, I am the one who destroys the State from within. “It’s like being infiltrated into the enemy ranks.” So far in his mandate, Milei left around 30 thousand public employees on the street; without touching a hair of the political caste, which continues to collect millionaire salaries and abides by the adjustment and emptying policies of the Government. Even more, the president proposes continuing with layoffs throughout the State. A week ago he threatened to leave 80% of the employees of the current Undersecretary of Protection against Gender Violence of the Ministry of Justice out of work.

Lousteau’s project, far from protecting jobs, or access to certain rights that are managed by the public administration, enables the Government to move forward with its plans in this area.

In this sense, the statement made by Jose Mayans, in an interview for the radio program Conflicto de Interestes. “We are looking at the proposal that Lousteau has made, because it is absolutely different from what the Executive Branch has at this moment.“, He said head of Union for the Homeland bloc in the Senate. At the same time he stated “We do not share special powers to do what they want to do with the central administration, with the decentralized entities, with the social security organizations, with the state companies, with the trust funds.” If Peronism used the first chapter of the Lousteau Opinion as a basis to negotiate modifications, it would be endorsing what Mayans himself criticized about the Milei project.

Privatizations

The project of former Minister of Economy of CFKseeks to negotiate a series of privatizations with the government of mercy. In chapter II, he says “Companies and societies owned wholly or majority by the National State are declared subject to privatization.“, listed in the annex to his opinion. These are Argentine EnergiesIntercargo, Argentine Water and Sanitation (ISA), Belgrano Loads and Logistics, Railway Operating Company (SOFSE) y Road Corridors.

On the other hand, it has for Argentina Nuclear Power Plant (NASA), a partial privatization. For this purpose, he proposes “incorporating the participation of private capital, with the national State having to maintain control of the social will.” Similarly, it proposes declaring the country subject to privatization Carboniferous, Railway, Port and Energy Complex in charge of Río Turbio Carboniferous Deposits (YCRT), for which it stipulates “incorporating the participation of private capital, with the National State having to maintain at least twenty percent (20%) participation in the capital stock and appoint a director.”

Nor in the aspect of privatizations, it is ruled out that Peronism brings closer positions with Martín Lousteau’s project. Already in February, after the first attempt at the Bases Law in Congress failed, Cristina Kirchner released a letter where she raised the possibility of advancing privatizations, sharing private capital with the State. Gone are the years of partial nationalization – like that of YPF – the new orientation seems to be partial privatization.

Labour reform

With regard to labor laws, the radical Lousteau’s opinion proposes advancing flexibility. For example, supports Javier Milei’s original proposal, to extend the trial period to 6 months. This would allow companies to “rotation personnel”, in a way of hiring and firing every half year, without facing compensation obligations. More instability for workers.

In turn, Lousteau rescues an old proposal of his, to facilitate layoffs for companies. Its about “severance fund“, which would replace “the present compensation regime.” The proposal is different from the “unemployment fund” proposal proposed by the Government: even so, it is designed for the pockets of employers and not for the job stability of workers.

On the other hand, it is also moving forward in modifying article 197 bis of the Employment Contract Law, which deals with the workday, to “establish regimes that adapt to changes in production methods, the conditions of each activity.” This enables the perpetuation, for example, of the need for workers to agree to work “overtime”, since the salary for the basic working day is not enough.

Finally, Lousteau’s project supports the elimination of the retirement moratorium, for workers who do not manage to make 30 years of contributions. This reform would affect 9 out of 10 women and 7 out of 10 men of retirement age.

Far from accepting any negotiation or “lesser evil”, in the face of the disastrous Base Law; it is necessary to reject it in its entirety.