Argentina university professors begin week-long strike over pay and funding

University teachers across Argentina have started a national strike that will run from June 16 to June 20, amounting to a 96‑hour walkout. The action follows the CONADU and CONADU Histórica federations' rejection of the government’s latest salary proposal, which they say falls far short of restoring purchasing power lost to hyper‑inflation – an increase of over 312% in consumer prices since December 2023.

The unions demand a swift salary recomposition that matches inflation, full implementation of the University Financing Law, and a larger budget for public universities to maintain classes, exams, research labs, libraries and student scholarships. Earlier negotiations had yielded a 24% raise in two tranches, but teachers argue that many staff still earn below the poverty line. The strike is expected to halt lectures, examinations and research activities at universities nationwide, including key institutions in Buenos Aires and Mendoza.

The protest is part of a broader conflict between the education sector and President Javier Milei’s administration, which the unions accuse of pursuing an adjustment policy that undermines the financial sustainability of higher education.