Buenos Aires, November 16 (NA) - The co-chairman of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), Jorge Sola, warned that the discussion about a possible labor reform in Argentina is taking place «based on rumors» and without the participation of those he called the main protagonists: productive employers and the workforce.
The leader stated that any attempt to make structural changes «without fine print, without consensus, and without the affected sectors at the table, is born flawed».
Sola emphasized that the government «reverses the order of priorities», since, in his opinion, the urgent and decisive reform to promote productive investment is tax reform, not labor reform. «This way, there is no possibility of a serious treatment,» he stated.
In this sense, he stressed that the growing concern arises from the fact that «the two main actors who would suffer the consequences of a law — productive investment and workers — are not sitting at any consultation table».
Asked about the activity of the Council of May, Sola was categorical: «Gerardo Martínez is representing us, but there is no serious treatment. And that's the problem,» he questioned.
The co-chairman of the CGT also responded to business objections regarding the fear of labor lawsuits: «If the employer pays what is due, the lawsuit does not exist. Hiring workers under the table is a crime, the law says so». Although he acknowledged that lengthy judicial processes harm both companies and workers, he attributed the problem to the Justice system and not the labor framework: «If there are distortions, go and fix them where you should, don't attack the workers».
In Sola's opinion, the first reform that should be addressed is the tax one: «A SME that wants to be born pays national, provincial, and municipal taxes before hiring a single worker. The tax burden represents between 30% and 40% of their sales. The government makes versions known and then denies them. We are not stuck in the last century».
Sola insisted that any reform table must include the state, but efficiently: «The state must be intelligent, effective, not bureaucratic, but present to guarantee clear rules for productive investment».
The union leader affirmed that a labor law of a cross-cutting scope for all sectors «is unviable and counterproductive». «No activity is the same as another. Modernizations must be done by sector, because a bank, an insurance company, and mining have completely different labor realities,» he explained.
He gave a concrete example: «In services, one works 7 hours; mining operates with 15-by-15 schemes and 12-hour shifts. The San José Pact of Costa Rica clearly establishes this».
Faced with the question about the role of the central labor union in the discussion to come, Sola closed with a political message: «We arrive strengthened, united, and with a proactive vision. The commissions listen to the sectors, but the fine print does not change». And he emphasized that these discussions must become «state policies», regardless of the political sign of the governments.
Although there are no official details, Sola indicated that the legislative timeline would suggest the project would only arrive at Congress «after the Budget treatment», that is, in February. «If we want productive investment, lower taxes», he said.
Regarding the statements of Minister Toto Caputo about eliminating mandatory union dues, Sola clarified: «The union contribution is mandatory only if the worker is affiliated. Everything that exists are rumors. Affiliated or not, the benefits of collective bargaining apply equally, but the contribution is only for affiliates». And he launched a legal warning: «Anything that weakens union representation is unconstitutional. The interests of workers have no party affiliation».
«We are not just here to oppose. We are here to offer solutions that generate more work, better conditions, and better salaries». And he concluded: «We represent all workers, vote for Peronism or not».
