On Monday, the national university strike began, called by the two majority national federations (Conadu Histórica and Conadu), who called for a work stoppage in two stages: the first from March 16 to 21, and the second from March 23 to 30. Meanwhile, teachers at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) voted to strike indefinitely until they are paid the 55.4% salary increase stipulated by University Financing Law No. 27.795. This measure is national in scope and affects most of the country's public university institutions. Among other higher education institutions, they confirmed their adherence to the strike the National University of Córdoba (UNC); of La Plata (UNLP); the National Technological University (UTN); of Rosario (UNR); of Tucumán (UNT); of the Northeast (UNNE); of Chaco Austral (UNCAUS); of Salta (UNSa); of Entre Ríos (UNER); and of José C. Paz (UNPAZ). The main reason for this measure is the demand for salary recomposition, as all unions denounce a significant lag behind inflation, while also demanding the application of the University Financing Law, sanctioned by the National Congress last year, and which includes a larger budget for the operation of all universities. «Zero percent increase in January, zero percent increase in February, while transportation, food, and rents go up,» the statement reads. Laura Carboni, general secretary of the University of Buenos Aires Teachers' Association (AGD UBA), stated that since November 2023, «they have lost the equivalent of 11.5 salaries» and explained that «for every three months worked, they only paid for two». «We cannot continue like this,» she concluded. Regarding UNCAUS, teachers confirmed they are joining the national strike, but for 24 hours. «We have already tried in the last two years with isolated and uncoordinated strikes; we need a measure that will put an end to this attack by the Government against the universities,» Carboni concluded.
