Argentina is experiencing a period of heightened social and political tension due to a controversial labor reform currently being debated and approved in Congress. The bill, promoted by President Javier Milei, recently advanced in the Chamber of Deputies after being approved in the Senate. It proposes significant changes to labor legislation, including adjustments to working hours, severance pay rules, the implementation of flexible hour banks, and modifications to the right to strike. The government argues that the reform is necessary to modernize the labor market and attract investment, while opposition groups and labor unions warn that it could weaken long-standing workers’ rights and increase job insecurity.

In response to the progress of the reform, unions and labor confederations organized general strikes and protests across the country, disrupting public services, transportation, banking, aviation, and commerce. The General Confederation of Labor (CGT) led a nationwide strike with broad participation, and demonstrations near Congress in Buenos Aires were marked by moments of tension and clashes with police. The mobilizations highlight the deep divisions within Argentine society regarding the economic and labor policies promoted by the current administration.