Asociación Bancaria files ILO complaint against Argentina over Tucumán police repression

The Asociación Bancaria has filed a formal complaint against the Argentine state before the International Labour Organization (ILO) Committee on Freedom of Association. The complaint alleges “flagrant violations of conventions on freedom of association” following a police intervention in the province of Tucumán.

The incident occurred on December 5, 2025, during a peaceful assembly held by union representatives at a Banco Patagonia branch in Concepción. The meeting was intended to address a dismissal and allegations of workplace harassment. According to the union, provincial infantry officers arrived at the request of the bank and intervened with “disproportionate institutional violence” as workers were leaving the premises.

The filing claims that officers wore face coverings to prevent identification and used 12/70 caliber shotguns, including firing shots. It also notes the use of tactical gloves with reinforced knuckles, which the union describes as tools designed to “multiply the damage of blows.” The reported repression resulted in injured and detained union leaders, which the organization argues violates ILO conventions 87, 98, and 135 regarding the right to organize and the protection of union representatives.