Argentina unions launch wage strikes in July

A wave of labor actions spread across Argentina in late July, with several unions announcing strikes to demand higher wages and better working conditions. The Union of Public Workers of Corrientes (UPCN) called a “active strike” for 29 July, pledging presence in workplaces and a series of assemblies. The Union of Transport Workers (UTA) began an indefinite suspension of bus services on the same date, citing failure of companies to honor the nationally‑agreed wage scale.

In the public sector, the Union of Civil Personnel of Chaco (UPCP) rejected a 10 % salary increase as insufficient and illegal under collective‑bargaining law, while teachers’ unions in Jujuy, Buenos Aires, Formosa, and Río Negro announced 48‑ to 72‑hour stoppages in response to provincial wage offers ranging from 4 % to 7 % that they deem inadequate against inflation. The strikes target education, transport, and civil service, disrupting public services and prompting provincial governments to announce compensatory days off or to defend their salary proposals.

The common grievance across the groups is the perceived erosion of real wages amid high inflation, with unions demanding larger percentage increases, automatic inflation adjustments, and the implementation of a “minimum vital and mobile” salary for teachers. The coordinated actions underscore mounting labor tension in Argentina as negotiations with the Milei government remain stalled.