Macri's Neoliberal Assault on Labor Continues, 1,700 Fired
Macri's Neoliberal Assault on Labor Continues, 1,700 Fired
Published 2 December 2016
. . .
Argentina's state oil company YPF will reduce operations in the Patagonia region and lay off 1,700 workers, a decision that comes amid already high rates of unemployment that have sparked protests against the conservative government of Mauricio Macri.
In February, Argentina's Chamber of Special Petroleum Operations Companies, or CEOPE, implemented a plan of austerity measures in the area as part of an agreement with Macri's government. The 1,700 YPF workers now without jobs continued working until July, but only received 50 percent of their wages during this period.
"The cost of maintaining the idle workforce can't be sustained over time," a YPF source is reported to have said following the mass layoffs, adding the company cannot afford to employ “contractors whose work is well below the standards that YPF requires."
Macri's presidency, which began in December 2015, has been plagued by nationwide protests over a series of neoliberal reforms, from mass layoffs to deregulation and cuts in wages.
More:
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Macris-Neoliberal-Assault-on-Labor-Continues-1700-Fired-20161202-0019.html