elpais.com
Buenos Aires Airport Strike: Union Action and Government Crackdown
A surprise strike by Argentinan aviation workers caused chaos at Buenos Aires airports, prompting a strong government response and highlighting a broader conflict over airline deregulation.
Spanish
Spain
PoliticsHuman Rights ViolationsLabour MarketLatin AmericaStrikeArgentinaLaborAviation
Asociación De Personal Aeronáutico (Apa)IntercargoAerolíneas ArgentinasMinisterio De Seguridad
Manuel AdorniJavier Milei
- What was the main reason behind the APA's strike?
- The APA's strike was in protest of the arbitrary dismissal of a worker by Intercargo, a ground handling company. Intercargo claims the employee abandoned their post. The union demands the worker's reinstatement.
- What caused the major disruptions at Buenos Aires airports?
- A surprise strike by the Asociación de Personal Aeronáutico (APA) caused significant delays and cancellations at Buenos Aires airports. The government responded with a criminal complaint, accusing the union of hostage-taking and disrupting air travel.
- What is the deeper underlying conflict fueling this dispute?
- The underlying conflict involves disagreements over deregulation of the airline industry. The government wants a more competitive and less regulated sector, while unions favor a stronger state role and are concerned about job security and worker rights.
- How has the conflict between the government and unions escalated?
- The conflict escalated tensions between the Milei government and aviation unions, particularly concerning state-owned companies Aerolíneas Argentinas and Intercargo, which Milei aims to privatize. This occurs amidst high inflation and upcoming peak travel season.
- What was the government's response to the strike, and how strong-handed was it?
- The government's actions against the union were extreme and included accusations of terrorism. They deployed federal security forces to remove passengers from planes, suggesting a strong-handed approach to resolving the labor dispute.