Shortly before the Pope's speech at the UCA, the Minister of Human Capital, Sandra Pettovello, crossed paths with the co-leaders of the CGT, Jorge Sola (Seguro) and Cristian Jerónimo (glass industry employees), and Gerardo Martínez (UOCRA): in the informal exchange, they spoke briefly about the possibility of resuming dialogue.
The climate of concord radiated by Leo XIV during his visit to the country seemed to have achieved a miracle. But not even the highest authority of the Church managed it: the rapprochement between the Government and the CGT was stalled by a series of misunderstandings and the usual distrust.
At the labor federation, they clarify that the proposal came from the minister, but that dialogue "must be institutional and not sporadic." Those close to Pettovello, on the other hand, warn that the CGT did not take up the offer and that she was annoyed because she is convinced that the CGT leaders let the media know that a possible meeting with the Government was in response to a union "demand."
Curiously, the minister's circle notes that "the doors are open" to receive the CGT, and from the CGT leadership they state that they are always willing to "sit at a table where the problems Argentina is facing can be raised, not just to go and listen to them."
Thus, the Government and the CGT head toward closing the year without signs of rapprochement, especially after this exchange of gestures from both sides that end up being misinterpreted…
AI Brief
Your highlights
Sandra Pettovello ran into Gerardo Martínez, Cristian Jerónimo and Jorge Sola at the UCA
Shortly before the Pope's speech at the UCA, the Minister of Human Capital, Sandra Pettovello, ran into the co-leaders of the CGT, Jorge Sola (Seguro) and Cristian Jerónimo (glass industry employees), and Gerardo Martínez (UOCRA): in the informal exchange, they spoke briefly about the possibility of resuming dialogue. The climate of concord radiated by Leo XIV during his visit to the country seemed to have achieved a miracle. But not even the highest authority of the Church managed it: the rapprochement between the Government and the CGT was stalled by a series of misunderstandings and the usual distrust. At the labor central, they clarify that the proposal came from the minister, but that dialogue "must be institutional and not sporadic." Those close to Pettovello, on the other hand, say the CGT did not take up the gauntlet and that she was annoyed because she is convinced the CGT leaders let the media know that a possible meeting with the Government was in response to a union "demand."
Javier Milei and Sandra Pettovello
The curious thing is that the minister's circle says "the doors are open" to receive the CGT, and from the union leadership they claim they are always willing to "sit at a table where the problems Argentina is facing can be raised, not just to go and listen to them." Thus, the Government and the CGT head toward closing the year with no signs of rapprochement, especially after this exchange of gestures from both sides that end up being misinterpreted. After all, who benefits from dialogue? The Government shows no signs of changing its policies, and unionism, deep down, doesn't want it either before Argentines vote in 2027: if the socioeconomic situation continues like this, it believes, Milei will not achieve his longed-for re-election.
For the secretary of Social Action of the CGT, José Luis Lingeri (Obras Sanitarias), "the Pope's message of peace, with its conciliatory tone in which he revalued the culture of work and social justice, legitimizes the demands we make, but the Government's meter doesn't move — it goes in one ear and out the other."
The CGT will move forward with partial strikes and a march over the union health funds
Therefore, convinced that the Pope endorsed its position with the speeches he gave in Argentina, the CGT leadership decided to accelerate the resumption of the protest plan. A meeting of the Governing Council is planned to approve a scheme of partial and progressive strikes starting in December. It would begin with a work stoppage of 2 or 4 hours, with assemblies at workplaces to make their demands visible. First, however, the union's internal tensions will have to be calmed. Pablo Moyano (Camioneros) has already called for a 24-hour general strike and Luis Barrionuevo (Gastronómicos) insists on a 36-hour strike with a demonstration. It is true that the rebellious son of Hugo Moyano does not run the union nor has influence within the CGT, and that the gastronomy union leader is an ultra-oppositionist seeking to discomfort the CGT leadership over its moderate strategy, as he will confirm this Monday with a march outside the Human Capital ministry to demand official recognition of his electoral victory.
Meanwhile, the top leadership of the CGT has just made another decision that will further muddy its relationship with the ruling party: in the coming days it will hold a demonstration outside the Superintendence of Health Services to demand that the Government urgently resolve the acute financial crisis of the union health funds.
Pope Leo XIV delivered a message in Argentina that thrilled the CGT (Photo: Tiziana Fabi/AFP)
The idea is to fill Bartolomé Mitre Street at number 400, in the heart of the Buenos Aires financial district and near the Plaza de Mayo, where the agency that administers the health system is headquartered, with leaders, activists and workers. It will also be a way of not losing the initiative to Barrionuevo, who got ahead of the CGT and, as Infobae anticipated, announced that some 50 unions will file a lawsuit against Economy Minister Luis Caputo for breach of the duties of a public official because, according to the complaint, he is withholding some 688 billion pesos that belong to the union health system. So far, and despite the promises of the Gastronómicos leader, the lawsuit has not yet been filed, but the CGT decided to go on the offensive to try to resolve a sensitive issue on which it has achieved no results to date despite three confidential meetings it held with Health Minister Mario Lugones.
The imminent march over the health funds and the partial work stoppage are shaping up as the CGT's last protests until the end of the year. In 2027, electoral logic will drive greater union conflict, and the union leaders imagine that nothing will stop the fifth general strike against the Government. What they are not sure about, in reality, is whether there will be enough votes at the ballot box to stop Milei.