UATRE warns 120,000 rural jobs at risk in Argentina

The Union of Argentine Rural Workers and Stevedores (UATRE) has warned that approximately 120,000 rural jobs are at risk following the expiration of a key regulation on September 1. The expired measure, established by Decree 514/2021, allowed for compatibility between temporary rural employment and the receipt of social assistance programs.

UATRE Secretary General José Voytenco has called for an urgent response from the national government, specifically addressing Minister of Human Capital Sandra Pettovello. The union argues that the lack of an extension prevents seasonal workers from accessing formal employment without losing their social safety nets, which could discourage labor registration and disrupt regional agricultural economies.

Despite formal requests sent to the Ministry of Human Capital in August, the administration of President Javier Milei has not yet issued a response or a new decree to extend the regime. The union maintains that this institutional paralysis threatens the economic stability of thousands of families and the continuity of agricultural production across the country's interior.