The protest was called by the Argentine Association of Flight Attendants (AAA), the Association of Airline Pilots (APLA), the Association of Aeronautical Personnel, the Union of Senior and Professional Personnel of Commercial Aeronautical Companies, and the Association of State Workers in the National Civil Aviation Administration.
According to the associations, the strike is taking place after the failure of talks with the directors of Aerolíneas Argentinas to obtain fair salaries and face the loss of the employees’ purchasing power, meanwhile continuing a plan of struggle carried out for weeks. It also involves the cancellation or postponement of several flights, an action just like on the 6th of this month.
The strikers condemn the open skies policy promoted by the government of Javier Milei, considering that it leads to the surrender of sovereignty and the destruction of the national industry.
“On one hand, they open the skies to foreign companies whose only interest is to operate profitable destinations or seek subsidies to cover those points that are not, and on the other hand, they reduce frequencies, defund and empty Aerolíneas (Argentinas), making it impossible for it to take advantage of this new scenario and compromising its existence,” says a message from APLA. “All of this will cause greater market concentration and less federal connectivity. In addition, it threatens the continuity of the flag carrier and thousands of workers who will be left unprotected against foreign interests,” it adds.
The head of AAA, Juan Pablo Brey, said that the workers are fighting to keep the company in the hands of the State, and denounced that there is already a 75 percent wage gap with respect to inflation. “This marks a turning point. We know they are coming for our airline,” he added.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation recently expressed its support for these groups and criticized Milei’s decision to declare the commercial aviation sector an essential service, aiming by this to restrict the right to strike.
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