Argentina: Thousands strike against Macri

February 27, 2016
Issue 

Thousands of Argentine public sector workers took to the streets of Buenos Aires and convened at the presidential palace on February 24 as part of a national strike to protest the huge layoffs of state workers by the administration of new right-wing President Mauricio Macri.

Macri has fired about 21,000 state workers since the start of the year, with even more layoffs expected in the coming months as government ministries continue to review contracts.

The national strike was called to protest the thousands of job losses, and demanded better salaries and working conditions for state workers. Protesters also rejected the government's criminalisation of social protest.

“If the government doesn't respond, we will continue with forceful measures,” Association of State Workers President Hugo Godoy told Reuters.

[Abridged from TeleSUR English.]

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