As the increase unrest social due to the economic recession, a group of legislators from the PRO seeks to contain the impact of the strikes in the operation of the services by submitting a bill that declares as “essential” to the public transport. The objective is to ensure minimum guards in trains, buses and bus.
Days after the national government decreed the commercial aviation sector as an “essential service” to stop strikes of the airport unions, facing off with the national administration over salary claims, the party block that leads Mauricio Macri joined the libertarian initiative and proposed recategorizing public transport as a “essential resource”.
The initiative was presented by the deputy Gerardo Milman and has the support of the head of the bloc in the lower house, Christian Ritondo, the former governor Maria Eugenia Vidal and the former deputy head of the Buenos Aires government, Daniel Santilli, among eleven other PRO legislators. In its first article it proposes declaring “public passenger transport as a essential resource for the normal development of the daily life of the population.”
“Minimal guards” in public transport, the PRO proposal to limit strikes
The following article aims to regulate union actions with the aim of reducing their impact. In this regard, it states that “in the event of a strike or forceful measure being called by public transport workers, the minimum service provisionin accordance with the provisions of this law and the complementary regulations issued for this purpose.”
The project leaves it up to the competent authority to determine the percentage of the service to be established as a minimum benefit. Its determination will be made “taking into account the needs of the population and ensuring coverage of the main corridors and areas of greatest demand.” The scope of the measure would affect the railway service, interjurisdictional buses and long-distance buses.
It also points out that companies providing public transport services “They will be obliged to maintain a minimum staff and vehicles during the strike days” to “guarantee the continuity of the service in the terms established by this law.” In the event of non-compliance by the companies, sanctions will be imposed.
In the event of repeated non-compliance by trade associations and companies, it warns that “sanctions will be applied” that they will be able to go “from measures of a pecuniary nature”that is, monetary, up to “the removal of the legal status of the responsible trade union association.”
Inflation and reduction of subsidies worsen the situation in public transport
In recent months, the critical salary situation and financial that crosses the sector of transport, product of the reduction of the subsidies and the increase in the inflation, pushed, on the one hand, the companies to demand that the authorities review the funds and, on the other hand, to the trade associations to summon force measures to reverse the loss of purchasing power.
Over the past few days, it was the aeronautical workers who carried out a forceful measure demanding a wage adjustment by the Government. However, the national administration responded by declaring the service essential and imposing minimum guards to limit the strikes. The conflict, far from stopping, promises to deepen.
Regarding the service of groups in the AMBAthe discussions seem to have frozen, for the moment, after the agreement reached between the City and the Nation to finalize the transfer of the 31 lines. In addition, the Buenos Aires administration left in “stand by” a new increase in the rate, although business chambers are pushing for the recognition of the service cost structure.
In any case, the Nation made its position clear regarding the fact that “It is not sustainable“avoid a rate increase. Despite the back and forth, No strike measures or service interruptions were announced for next week.
As for the trainsfrom this Monday, the ticket in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (AMBA) increased by 40%. The increase had been announced by the Government at the beginning of the month and was ratified last Friday in the Official Gazette with the publication of the tariff tables.
Regarding wage conflicts, after the measure taken at the end of August by the Unión Tranviarios Automotor (UTA), due to a wage increase conflict, no new force measures were announced for this week and services will operate normally.
Source: Ambito
