The government meets with the UTA to avoid a bus strike this Tuesday.

Hours before a bus strike announced for this Tuesday, the government called an emergency meeting between the Union of Automotive Tram Workers ( UTA ) and the sector's business chambers. The meeting will be held virtually this Monday starting at 2:00 p.m., coordinated by the Ministry of Labor. The negotiations will be led by Julio Cordero , Secretary of Labor, after the mandatory conciliation process ended on April 30 without reaching an agreement between the parties.

The strike was announced by the UTA after the conciliation agreement expired, as the union considers the wage proposals presented by the employers insufficient . Without a new conciliation agreement in place, the UTA is authorized to paralyze services if today's negotiations fail.

The negotiations take place amid a transition in the Transportation department, following the departure of Franco Mogetta . Luis Pierrini was appointed as head of the portfolio, although this specific dispute is being handled exclusively by the Ministry of Labor.

The Argentine Association of Automotive Transport Entrepreneurs (AAETA), led by Luciano Fusaro , has offered a 6% salary increase for the period from February to June , in addition to non-remunerative payments. Fusaro emphasized that drivers' current salaries are $1.2 million and that an adjustment linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) "exceeds the companies' financial possibilities."

"Half of the bus lines in the AMBA region have had their fares frozen for more than eight months," added the head of AAETA, referring to the economic difficulties his sector is facing.

The UTA claim

For its part, the UTA (Tax and Customs Union), led by Roberto Fernández, rejects the company's proposals, considering them insufficient and offensive to workers. The union is seeking an increase that raises the base salary from the current $1,200,000 to $1,700,000. "It's absurd to continue listening to proposals that trample on our dignity and without any precedent," they questioned, according to TN.