The meeting in between highest reference of the CGT was shortly before INDEC announced that March inflation was 6.7%, the highest in the past 20 years.

“It was learned that the price increase would be more than 6%, (Economy Minister Martín) Guzmán himself anticipated it,” said a union leader who participated in that event. conclave last week at UPCN.

There, what was decided as a common strategy was to look for salary agreements between three and four months maximum and that the the increase is higher than the inflation rate.

This scheme is definitely the one already discussed by Federation of Commercial Employeesthe most important union in the private sector because of the number of workers it represents: 1.2 million nationwide.

According to sources consulted, this week the union closes an agreement that includes an increase of between 20 and 23% but only in three months, April, May and June.

The aim is to close the agreement with the Argentine Chamber of Commerce (CAC), Confederation of Medium-Sized Enterprises (CAME) and Union of Commercial Entities (UDECA) and take it to the Ministry of Labor for approval.

In June, the guild led by Armando Cavalieri wants to sit down to negotiate again including three employer rooms.

“No one can predict how much inflation will be this year, that is why we prefer to negotiate in the short term and talk again in June ”, they said in the mercantile union.

A similar approach is being considered by other powerful unions, such as the Construction Union (UOCRA) and UPCN state unions.

Cristina’s move

In a private sector union, they taught Clarion that Cristina Kirchner, with a $ 20,000 increase she gave 10 days ago to legislative staff, “kicked the board” of joint negotiations.

“At a salary of $ 100,000, $ 20,000 is 20%. No one will ask for less. “ they indicated.

At CGT they share that view. And they added. “Cristina meant it. From a political point of view, there is a fairly homogeneous standard on the part of the unions and the Ministries of Economy and Labor and he came out with that increase. His move was to weaken the agreements already underway”.

One that paid attention to the increase granted to Cristina’s legislative staff —as president of the Senate — and the head of Deputies, Sergio Massa, was the Truckers ’union.

“We demand that the percentage they have achieved in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies be applied to us, that 20,000 pesos in basic salary,” Hugo Moyano said last week. From the employer sector they replied that the request was “impossible” to fulfill.

This week the UOM will hold their congress of delegates in Mar del Plata. There are versions that metalurgists seek to check their 45% parity, signed in March by the previous leadership led by Antonio Caló.

But in the guild they said Clarion what so far “There is no possibility (of reviewing the parity). The agreement went into effect in April.

At the head of UOM is now the head of metallurgical Abel Furlan.