Argentine university unions announce 48-hour national strike

University faculty unions in Argentina, led by the Confederación Nacional de Docentes Universitarios (CONADU), have called for a 48-hour national strike on August 27 and 28. The protest targets the national government over insufficient funding for public universities and stagnant wages. Unions report that workers have lost approximately one-third of their purchasing power since December 2023, estimating that a salary increase of over 50% is required to recover lost value.

The conflict centers on the implementation of the University Financing Law, which remains a point of contention between the legislature and the executive branch. Despite judicial rulings ordering the transfer of funds, universities claim they have not received the necessary budget for operational costs, research, scholarships, and salaries.

A recent judicial mediation led by Judge Martín Cormick failed to reach an agreement between the government and university representatives, including the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) and the National Interuniversity Council (CIN). While government officials have noted a scheduled collective bargaining session for September 1, academic institutions warn that the lack of resources threatens the stability of university hospitals and risks the migration of highly qualified researchers and professors.