Gerardo Martínez, head of UOCRA and the CGT, warned that the union will mobilize strongly if Javier Milei's government does not ensure transparent dialogue on labor reform. While seeking agreements, the lack of negotiation could lead to conflict. The leader criticized the inexperience of officials like Federico Sturzenegger in labor matters.
Gerardo Martínez, general secretary of the Construction Workers' Union of the Republic (UOCRA) and a leader in the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), voiced concerns over the labor reform pushed by Javier Milei's government. In recent statements, Martínez stressed the need for guarantees to discuss changes in the labor system, warning that a lack of dialogue “will close the doors to social peace”.
Martínez indicated that the CGT is prepared for “mobilization and strong actions” if there is no real negotiation channel, though the aim is to “reach agreements”. He criticized officials designing the reform, such as the Minister of Deregulation and State Transformation, Federico Sturzenegger, for their lack of labor world knowledge: “What they propose shows they don't know what it means to pay a salary or negotiate a collective agreement. They may come from the best universities, but they don't understand the labor modality in Argentina”.
The leader rejected notions like “dynamic salaries” and emphasized that any change's legitimacy requires social dialogue: “If all doors are closed to us, we will use all tools to defend our rights”. He linked the debate to the economic context, noting that “around twenty thousand companies” went bankrupt in recent months and that trade opening caused “a significant recession”. He also defended unions' historical role and called for leadership renewal to engage younger generations: “There are very old leaders thinking with strategies from twenty years ago. We need to speak to those under forty”.
The labor reform, confirmed after the 2025 legislative victory, includes proposals such as extended work hours, installment payments for labor judgments, company-specific agreements, and performance-tied salary increases. This initiative revives elements from DNU 70/2023, halted judicially, and the Bases Law. According to INDEC, labor informality reached 43.2% in the second quarter of 2025. While the government claims it aims to formalize employment, experts warn that in a recessionary context it does not guarantee more jobs and could entrench structural informality. In 2025, 12,259 SMEs were lost so far.