Amid unprecedented budget cuts and a rapid loss of purchasing power, the government of Milei has launched a new attack on scientific organizations: from December 2025, it is implementing a 'zero contributions' policy that is already affecting the health coverage of hundreds of workers. The National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) has stopped depositing the contributions corresponding to social charges and health insurance for its employees. This 'zero contributions' policy means that at least since December 2025, the agency has not been making transfers to the National Social Security Administration (ANSES) or to the funds corresponding to social work organizations. This omission has immediate and concrete effects on the medical care of workers, compromising their health coverage and basic benefits for them and their families. The scientific sector is facing its worst moment in 52 years, occurring in parallel with a profound deterioration of the national scientific system that has been recorded since 2023. Organizations such as INTA, INTI, SEGEMAR, CNEA, CONAE, and CONICET itself are suffering budgetary restrictions that, according to sector sources, have implied a fall of up to 50% in real available funds compared to 2023. In addition to the failure to deposit for social work, sources from state unions warn that the situation is worsening because this non-payment can lead to cuts in medical coverage, interruption of benefits, and violation of basic labor rights, just when the real salary of personnel has been significantly eroded since La Libertad Avanza took office.
