Argentine Public Union Denounces Over 10,000 Layoffs

On Thursday, the State Workers Association (ATE) reported that Argentine President Javier Milei has fired over 10,000 workers so far.

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"Unfortunately, many of those laid off had more than 20 years of seniority in their jobs," ATE Secretary Daniel Catalano said during an interview with El Destape radio.

On April 3, public workers will hold a "national day of struggle" with strikes, assemblies and mobilizations throughout Argentine territory. The workers' decision is a response to the most recent statements by Milei, who said that he will eliminate some 70,000 jobs in the public administration as part of his plan to reduce the state budget.

"We fired 50,000 public employees... Now more contracts are falling and 70,000 contracts are going to fall," the right-wing President said during the International Economic Forum of the Americas (IEFA). Latam Forum that took place in Buenos Aires.

Subsequently, in an attempt to soften Milei's statements, presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni said that 15,000 of those 70,000 jobs would be eliminated until March 31 and the rest of the contracts would be renewed for six months.

Since Milei assumed the Argentine presidency in December 2023, he has focused his efforts on canceling thousands of jobs created during the administration of Alberto Fernandez (2019-2023). To do this, he has been closing ministries, secretariats, and companies.

According to official data available as of January 2023, the state workforce included 333,853 workers, 224,072 of them located in the national public administration and 109,781 hired by state-owned companies.