Argentine union chief Marcelo Rucci says Fuerza Federal will run for 25 de Mayo mayor, slams Halliburton contract cuts

Marcelo Rucci, secretary general of the Private Oil and Gas Workers Union covering Río Negro, Neuquén and La Pampa, told Radio 7 that the political formation Fuerza Federal will field candidates for the mayoralty of 25 de Mayo in La Pampa once the party is fully organized there. He said the party already exists in Río Negro and Neuquén, that its membership has doubled in recent months, and that workers from other unions such as UOCRA have joined.

Rucci also condemned Halliburton Argentina for demanding a 23 % reduction in contract prices from regional suppliers. He warned that the cuts would damage small and medium‑size enterprises in the Neuquén basin and jeopardize local employment, contrasting Halliburton’s reported $534 million quarterly profit with the limited margins of local SMEs. The union said it will act to prevent the measure from harming workers.