[Marxism] Argentina: Teachers' strike goes national

[Greg McDonald <sabocat59@xxxxxxx>]

Sunday, April 8, 2007
Direct Link: http://www.mercopress.com/vernoticia.do? 
id=10221&formato=html

Argentine provinces teachers’ dispute spills nationwide

Argentina’s two main unionized labor organizations have declared a  
strike for Monday following the death of a teacher who was hit by a  
tear gas canister during a teachers’ protest march last Wednesday in  
the Patagonian province of Neuquén.

The autonomous Confederation of Argentine Workers, CTA, decided a 24  
hours stoppage while the government aligned General Confederation of  
Workers, CGT, opted for a one hour cease of activities between 12:00  
and 13:00 hours.

However, both CGT and CTA called on provincial governments “to find a  
peaceful solution to the dispute and open dialogue channels with  
workers”.

The two trade unions confederations have been confronted for some  
time now but this is the first time they agree on a joint release.

Meantime in Neuquén governor Jorge Sobisch admitted full political  
responsibility for the killing of the teacher, while a police officer  
was arrested on charges that he fired the tear gas canister at close  
range against a teacher, Carlos Fuentealba, 41, who died 24 hours  
later of head wounds.

The Police Sergeant identified as Darío Poblete refused to testify in  
court. It also emerged that last November he was sentenced to two  
years’ imprisonment on charges of torturing an arrested man. He has  
appealed that sentence.

The case sparked nationwide outrage in Argentina and triggered a  
dispute between the federal government and presidential candidate  
Roberto Lavagna.

Lavagna blamed the wave of teachers’ protests on the federal  
government’s "electoral decision" to raise teachers’ wages nationwide  
without asking provinces whether they were able to finance it.

Vice-President Daniel Scioli meanwhile called for “maximum  
punishment” for those guilty of the teacher’s death.

The call for a national strike on Monday was initially launched by  
the provincial teachers’ unions but was later extended to the whole  
country by national organizations to protest police brutality in  
Neuquén and in Salta.

Buenos Aires City declared a day of mourning and Buenos Aires  
province ordered flags in schools to fly at half-mast on Monday for  
the killing of chemistry teacher Carlos Fuentealba.

Neuquen’s teachers union announced that no pay talks will take place  
until the “officials responsible for the killing” of Fuentealba  
resign their posts.

Marcelo Gugliardo, chairman of the union said that the tragedy  
demands that “minimally officials from the areas of Security and  
Education must go”, and called on provincial legislators to “impeach”  
Neuquén governor Jorge Sobisch.

Gugliardo announced that a “solidarity” tent will be set up Monday in  
the square next to Neuquen’s government house and access routes to  
the city will be blockaded.

The incident has also a political background since Sobisch is one of  
the few governors that remain critical of President Nestor Kirchner  
and he attacked the administration of taking advantage of the tragedy  
“to have him pushed out of office”.

“Kirchner was the first to act with hypocrisy and cowardice, trying  
to exploit a tragedy in Neuquen”, said Sobisch. “I face the problems:  
I don’t hide from them as President Kirchner”.

He insisted that in Neuquen the rule of the law must be respected and  
contrary to Kirchner who fears picketers “I won’t let protestors  
blockade or cut routes or attack the homes of government officials  
because of salaries disputes”.


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