Porteño workers mark International Workers' Day with a strike

International Workers' Day, celebrated every 1^st May of the year, is taken very seriously in Argentina. So seriously that everything shuts down. Even our local supermarket Jumbo, which claims to be open day single day, is shut. This year, however, “workers” in Buenos Aires have outdone themselves and have decided to mark the occasion with a strike.

Thousands of workers from all five umbrella unions decided today to take to the streets to vent their anger against President Mauricio Macri’s labour policies. In the largest protest against Macri since he took power in January, many workers are demanding, among other things, that the government take measures to reduce inflation, and ludicrously, implement a law preventing all lay-offs.   

Workers striking in Buenos Aires, ahead of Labour Day, 2016

More than 140,000 workers lost their jobs between December 2015 and March 2016, according to the Argentine Economic Policy Centre, CEPA. Of this, 43% of the losses were in the public sector, while 57% were within the private sector. Without data from the previous year, it’s unclear what to make of these figures. However, on the surface these numbers have undoubtedly caused widespread alarm, whether justified or unjustified. 

The news this morning showed scenes of complete gridlock, as several of the major roads leading in and out of Capital - including the allegedly widest road in the world, 9 de Julio Avenue, Paseo Colon and San Juan – were cut-off.

Job creation

 

Of course, I understand that workers have to be protected and need a certain level of working conditions and guarantees. But a law that prevents lay-offs? Really? In a country that seems to thrive on job creation, where the majority of team sit around and do nothing while a minor few do the hard graft, surely this is just encouraging mediocracy.

I can give you several examples of this. We have actually stopped going to one of our local restaurants (which for some unknown reason is always packed to the roofs) because when we enter, most of the waiters/waitresses are too busy folding napkins to take our order. Do you want to take our money, maybe? But, it’s ok because they’re doing what they’ve been told to do – napkin origami executive.

Secondly, we were in Carrefour (usually, a pretty good French supermarket) last week and had successfully managed to put fewer than 15 items in our trolley. This is crucial information because it means you can go to one of the three checkout designated for 15 or fewer items. Excellent, we thought, as these tills were empty. Although bear in mind, they were empty because no one had figured out how to use the inexplicably complicated system of getting a token to prove you had fewer than 15 items. So what happens? Everyone with 15 or fewer items waits in line for the normal half-an-hour-long, 15-or-more-items queue, while the 15-or-fewer-item cashiers read the latest Carrefour price-offers magazine. 

Argentines are very good queuers, but they shouldn’t have to be. We just need a system that is maybe only 10% better than what currently exists, and things could become surprisingly more efficient. The napkins might already be folded BEFORE we arrive at the restaurant.

All I wanted was to go into Capital today, as I do every Friday and watch Relatos Salvajes. This is part of a course I’m doing on Argentine cinema at the University of BuenosAires (UBA). But, I couldn’t because workers at the university were on strike. Maybe I’ll join them with a protest of words. Happy International Workers' Day!