DOWN THE AGREEMENT BETWEEEN TRADE UNION BUREAUCRACY AND THE GOVERNMENT!!

DOWN THE AGREEMENT BETWEEEN TRADE UNION BUREAUCRACY AND THE GOVERNMENT!!

In the 12th anniversary of the popular uprising of 2001 (Argentinazo), a central fact erupted: with the victory of the police strike, wages discussion towards 2014 had already begun. Police strike shaked 22 provinces and conquered wages increase among 40% and 100%. Thus, state workers started to fight all around the country for similar salaries, but the trade unión bureaucracy avoided any call for general strike and stopped the movement. Lootings were developed in many places while police was striking: instead of satisfying popular needs, government increased Army presence and represión.

The energetic system is collapsing, hundreds thousands of people are without light this new year due to the power cuts. Barricades and pickets in many neighbourhods are being organized against electric enterprises and the govermnent, which subsidizes them. We have spreaded the slogan, “if there is a power cut, we block the street”.

In this situation, a strong intervention of the left is needed, moreover after the rocket scores in Left Front’s (Frente de Izquierda) October election. In contrast, the parlamentarian block of the left divided in two (PTS made its owbn block) and left parties went to different rallies in the anniversary of the Argentinazo: while Partido Obrero was with CTA-Micheli bureaucracy saying “no general strike is possible”, PTS organized a sectarian rally against police wages increase, i.e, the victory that triggered the struggle of civil servants all around the country.

The challenge for the left and working class vanguard is to overcome trade union bureaucracy, which agreed the “social peace” with the government. The Tendencia Piquetera Revolucionary (TPR) is committed to that struggle, striving to overcome both sectarianism and adaptation currents within the left, which paralyze Frente de Izquierda.

On December 20th, we did a rally raising our slogans: vindicating the popular uprising of 2001, denouncing the militarization and repression of the government against policemen who were on strike and people who took part in the lootings. We rejected the policy of the governors, who are trying to go back with police wage agreements, a political move to smash the wages of state workers in the next labor negotiations: we said “if there is money for repressors, there must be for workers. $8500 FOR ALL!!” This is the slogan we are spreading in state workers movement. In late December and until today a movement against power cuts arise (see article); where we are participating in the pickets. Government take advantage on the vacation period and rise buses fares while prepares the same for metro, boosting inflation and cost of living. The fight to make the capitalists pay for the crisis is the fight against the adjustment of the kirchnerism. TPR fights for worker’s goverment.

Lionel Zivals and Juan Marino