In the first quarter of 2024, the Province stopped receiving $117,000 million due to the cuts that the national government ordered in funds committed to infrastructure works, public passenger transportation and programs related to education, health, food security and care. of children, adolescents and families, among other areas.
The figure was specified yesterday by the Minister of Economy and Public Services, Roberto Dib Ashur, within the framework of the meeting in which provincial cabinet officials and leaders of the unions that represent public administration workers resumed the sector’s joint negotiations. .
The economic context of the country, the impact of the suspension of national transfers in Salta, the priorities outlined by the provincial management in different areas of government and the salary proposals of the public sector union entities stood out in the approaches to the sectoral dialogue that, according to It was reported that they will be deepened in a new meeting agreed for Tuesday of next week.
In yesterday’s round, Roberto Dib Ashur placed special emphasis on the fulfillment of the commitments assumed by the Government of Salta so that public administration employees maintain purchasing power, despite the national funds that the Province continues to see limited. According to current projections, June would close with a 55% drop in transfers from the Nation compared to the same month last year.
The head of the provincial Economy portfolio pointed out that, although the World Bank estimated a 3.5% drop in the gross product of the Argentine economy for this year, growth is also forecast from the third quarter of 2024.
Reactivation of works
For his part, Sergio Camacho, Minister of Infrastructure in charge of the Coordination of Liaison and Political Relations of the Province, informed the union leaders about recent agreements signed with the Nation to reactivate works that were carried out with national funds. Due to these commitments, which were endorsed days ago, the Ministry of Education will be responsible for the construction of 12 new buildings, while the Province will invest in the maintenance of 18 schools. In addition, he indicated that the provincial administration completed 95 works in 2023, while another 14 works have been completed since January to date. Camacho announced that starting on the 30th of this month, another 26 works are scheduled to begin. He also highlighted that between last year and this month, interventions were carried out in 153 public buildings.
In addition to Dib Ashur and Camacho, the Minister of Public Health, Federico Mangione, was at the table with the unions yesterday; his counterpart from Education, Culture, Science and Technology, Cristina Fiore; the Secretary of Human Resources Management, Eilif Riise; the Institutional and Administration Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Eduardo Costello, and the Undersecretary of the Integrated Human Resources System, Pablo Blanco.
Definition Tuesday
Among the union leaders was the general secretary of the Provincial Teachers’ Association (ADP), Fernando Mazzone, who stressed that the main claim of the sector is the payment of the Teacher Incentive, which has not been compensated so far. After the joint meeting, Mazzone pointed out that in the meeting that took place yesterday afternoon the Minister of Economy of the Province indicated to the leadership that next Tuesday there would be concrete definitions on the matter.
The union member highlighted that provincial teaching received a 6% increase in May, but stated that the inflation accumulated in recent months deteriorated the purchasing power of salaries with a greater impact than the readjustment provided for salaries. “The deterioration is very great, even though teachers have one of the best salaries, we are far below the needs,” he stated.
