UTA union elections postponed due to electoral irregularities

The Argentine judiciary has postponed the elections for the Unión Tranviarios Automotor (UTA), a major transport workers' union, due to various electoral irregularities. Originally scheduled for October 7 and 8, the elections have been rescheduled for December 17 and 18.

Room I of the National Chamber of Labor Appeals identified several issues, including discrepancies in the voter registry, improper distribution of polling stations, and problems with the officialization of candidate lists. Specifically, the court noted that nearly 2,870 processed departures from the union lacked exact termination dates, making it difficult to verify voting rights. Additionally, the distribution of 61,664 voters across 494 tables was deemed irregular, with some tables exceeding 600 voters while others had only a single person registered, potentially compromising the secrecy of the vote.

The court ordered a partial rollback of the process, requiring the reopening of the stage for submitting lists and endorsements. The final officialization of lists must be resolved by October 30, and polling stations must be designated by December 1. Lawyer Matías Cremonte has been appointed as a judicial observer to supervise the electoral board and oversee the voting and scrutiny processes.

UTA Secretary General Roberto Fernández, who is seeking a fifth consecutive term, denied the allegations of wrongdoing, characterizing the legal action as an attempt by the opposition “Lista Negra,” led by Maximiliano Escriba, to judicialize union politics.