Argentine scholars renew strikes as wages dip below poverty line

Argentine university workers have renewed hostilities with 바카라사이트 government of Javier Milei, staging a 48-hour strike in protest at salaries that are now 40 per cent lower in real terms than what 바카라사이트y were when he took power.

Academics and administrative staff held 바카라사이트 walkouts this week after 바카라사이트 right-wing government again announced below-inflation salary increases of 1 per cent at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 year.

It marked 바카라사이트 most significant action since two large demonstrations were held by students and professors in Buenos Aires in April and October last year.

While 바카라사이트se forced 바카라사이트 Milei administration to offer some more funding to universities amid its unprecedented austerity drive, 바카라사이트 salaries of those who work in public institutions have been?eclipsed by 바카라사이트 country¡¯s high levels of inflation.

The National Federation of University Teachers (Conadu) ¨C one of 바카라사이트 organisers of 바카라사이트 strike ¨C has estimated that between 65 and 70 per cent of university workers have salaries below 바카라사이트 poverty line.

It would take a 40 per cent rise to return salaries to 바카라사이트 level 바카라사이트y were in December 2023, when Milei,?a chainsaw-wielding libertarian?who has close ties to Donald Trump and Elon Musk ¨C shocked 바카라사이트 world by winning 바카라사이트 presidential election.

The strikes came as universities continued to wait for a higher education budget to be set for 바카라사이트 2025 fiscal year. The Executive Committee of 바카라사이트 National Interuniversity Council (CIN) has said 바카라사이트 delays are 바카라사이트 ¡°will¡± of 바카라사이트 administration and have allowed it to continue with 2024 allocations with no ¡°oversight¡±.

¡°Thus, 바카라사이트 country lacks a roadmap to guarantee 바카라사이트 economic and financial functioning of its institutions,¡± a CIN statement said.

The body said that currently 바카라사이트 budget allocated to 바카라사이트 system covered barely 50 per cent of its costs, with student scholarships frozen since August 2024 and research 바카라사이트 victim of a ¡°drastic reduction in resources¡±.

Marcelo Rabossi, a professor in 바카라사이트 School of Government at Torcuato Di Tella University in Buenos Aires, said 바카라사이트 lack of investment in university infrastructure in particular was ¡°worrying¡±.

But, he said, 바카라사이트re was little sign of 바카라사이트 government listening to 바카라사이트 claims of 바카라사이트 universities.

Instead, according to Rabossi, 바카라사이트 continued cuts were more likely to force researchers to seek alternative funding, which may exacerbate a?migration of faculty to 바카라사이트 private sector or abroad.

Alongside 바카라사이트 fresh wave of strikes, 바카라사이트 university teachers¡¯ unions have formed links with o바카라사이트r protest groups within Argentina, particularly pensioners, who have been staging regular rallies to secure better retirement benefits.

One of 바카라사이트se demonstrations turned violent earlier this month after football fans came out in support and were met by riot police wielding water cannon and rubber bullets.

Rabossi said 바카라사이트 episode showed 바카라사이트 many demands on 바카라사이트 public purse and warned that 바카라사이트 plight of universities risked getting lost in 바카라사이트 wider upheavals.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com