A general strike will be held tomorrow, Tuesday 9th June. Several services will not operate due to the strike, which will begin at midnight tonight and will be supported by the opposition factions of the two umbrella unions, CGT and CTA.
The following sectors will be affected by the strike (check back later or tomorrow morning for updated information):
- Public Transport: City buses, long-distance buses, and trains will not be running from midnight. The Buenos Aires subte will be severely affected, though some lines may be operating a reduced service. [Update: all subte lines are closed]
- Ports: Commercial ports will be closed, but Buquebus and Colonia Express have confirmed they will be running a normal ferry service to Uruguay (passengers are advised to arrive early).
- Flights: [Update 11.30am: Air traffic controllers at Ezeiza airport joined the strike at around 10.30am – currently no flights in or out. All flights from Aeroparque have been cancelled.] Some international flights will depart, but delays are likely. Check with your airline or at http://www.aa2000.com.ar/. Manuel Tienda León confirmed to The Indy that there will be no regular bus service to the airports tomorrow, only private taxis that are subject to availability (call tomorrow).
- Taxis: Taxis will circulate but there will likely be a reduced service due to some drivers joining the strike, limited fuel supplies, and road blocks.
- Bars and restaurants: Many will be closed.
- Freight: Supply to supermarkets, ATMs, and petrol stations will be disrupted.
- Rubbish collection: There will be no service on Monday night, but there will be one on Tuesday night.
- Public hospitals: The Argentine doctors’ union Amra is joining the strike, so routine services and treatments may be disrupted, but accident and emergency units will remain open.
- Others: Petrol stations employees and postal workers will also strike, some government offices will be closed, attention at the courts will be disrupted, newspaper stands will be closed. Other services that are not directly related to the strike may be affected due to a lack of transport options.
Left-wing parties have announced they will block roads and set up pickets in several cities across the country. In Buenos Aires, Puente Pueyrredón, Puente La Noria, the on-ramp to the Buenos Aires-La Plata highway (in La Plata), and the corner of Corrientes and Callao will be blocked from 6am, and the Acceso Oeste highway from 7am. [Update, 9.30am: some of these roadblocks have now been lifted, with groups set to converge on the Obelisco to begin a protest march to the Ministry of Labour on Av. Leandro Alem.]
Workers from different factories which are currently undergoing conflicts with their employers —such as Kraft, Donnelley, PepsiCo, Lear, Cadbury, and others— will block the Panamericana highway, though the time is yet to be announced.
Protesters are demanding wage increases, changes to the income tax, an emergency increase in pensions, and measures against inflation and insecurity.
The post 9th June General Strike – Services That Will Be Affected appeared first on The Argentina Independent.