The unions mark the field before the reform of the Frigerio Retirement Fund

As anticipated Letter pthe provincial government put on the table the problem of Retirement Fund knowing that the deficit can make it unsustainable in the immediate future. Meanwhile, the unions declared themselves “on permanent alert” and ordered that “internal consultation and deliberation mechanisms be arbitrated.” It was in a joint statement from the State Workers Association (ATE), the Entre Ríos Teachers’ Union Association (AGMER), the Argentine Teachers Union (UDA) and the Private Teachers Union (SADOP). “We cannot endorse increases like those announced, much more so in a context of deep economic crisis generated by the neoliberal government of Javier Milei“, they attacked.

In this context, the Minister of Government and Labor, Manuel Troncosoone of the spokespersons for the reform, told the press last Saturday from the city of Concord that the unions “agree that a reform must be carried out.” It was at this point that he took aim at the union organizations: “Later, if each union has to raise awareness of the issue to consolidate the representativeness of its union, I am not going to get involved.”

The path to the reform of the Fund

Given this scenario, as this media was able to reconstruct, during the unions’ conversations with the government and at the meeting last Friday, the day the announcements were made, the union leaders did not present observations or major criticisms. What’s more, there was agreement regarding the need to clean up the Fund, whose growing deficit puts the provincial pension system at risk. “We agree that we must take the bull by the horns,” a union member who regularly talks with the administration told this medium.

In any case, after the announcement there was no public endorsement of the reform. Quite the opposite. Even anger over the union endorsement communicated by the provincial government. “There is no consensus,” they confided from ATE and cried out against “the adjustment.” Despite this position, they recognized that today “there is no force for a strike and mobilization” to postpone the implementation of the announcements.

“In all previous meetings the receptivity was positive,” Minister Troncoso recalled and clarified: “In the method there will always be dissidence.” The government puts reality numbers on the table: the deficit reached 41% in 2023 and was projected to be 43% this year. With some administrative corrections, the trend was corrected, reaching 37%.

Now, the question to be resolved is whether this aforementioned agreement, at least to put the issue up for debate, is corroborated by some symbolic objections while its application progresses. Or if, on the contrary, the unions intensify claims, which for now are only declamatory, against the meaning of the proposed modifications.

“We owe ourselves that discussion,” acknowledges UPCN

From the Union of Civil Personnel of the Nation (UPCN) say they are willing to sit down and discuss measures. “We owe ourselves that discussion,” acknowledged a union leader in statements to this medium.

This union, which does not usually agree to the joint positions of its peers, understands that the system lacks viability although it is jealous of the impact it has in some specific areas, such as health.

On the other hand, they quietly suggest that the retirements of the provincial police, which for now are out of the debate, should also be included in the pension discussion. If not, it would imply a privilege with respect to the rest of the workers.

The points of the reform of the Entre Ríos Retirement Fund

The Comprehensive Plan that the government will apply contains four measures so that the Fund recovers the resources it needs to comply with its obligations and attack the causes of the deficit.

Firstly, he raised the continuity of the claim that this government made before the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation of the funds that ANSES owes to Between riverswhich exceeds 150,000 million pesos.

Also, he announced the implementation of a monthly contribution to the Fund, which the Ministries of Health, Security and the CGE will make from their budgets, which are the most numerous and deficient entities in the pension system.

Furthermore, supported by section D of article 12 of the Pension Law, beneficiaries of pensions from special State regimes will contribute an aliquot of three points until they reach the retirement age, which is 62 years for men and 57 for women. women.

On the other hand, a three-point increase in the rate of employer contributions and personal contributions of active public sector workers will be established.

Meanwhile, the latest measure announced to reduce the deficit of each sector is the sending of a bill to the Legislature to include an instance of homologation with the Fund for the State’s sectoral salary increases.