Argentine Labor Secretary questions national teachers' strike, citing provincial jurisdiction

Argentina's Secretary of Labor, Julio Cordero, has voiced criticism regarding the national teachers' strike called by the Confederation of Education Workers (Ctera). Cordero emphasized that salary negotiations for educators are primarily the responsibility of each province and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

"What is striking is that the strike occurs indicating a circumstance that is referenced to the Nation," Cordero stated in an interview, highlighting his view that the union's stated reasons for the strike are misdirected. He reiterated that provincial authorities have been responsible for setting teacher salaries and managing educational jurisdictions since 1942.

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What is striking is that the strike occurs indicating a circumstance that is referenced to the Nation.

Cordero pointed to a decree established last year that designates the Federal Council of Education, composed of representatives from all provinces and Buenos Aires, as the body responsible for setting a national minimum wage for teachers. However, he stressed that individual provinces continue to negotiate salary agreements directly with their respective teacher unions.

When asked about the average salary for teachers, the Secretary of Labor declined to provide a figure, stating, "I don't want to give an average. Every time one says a number, another comes and denies it." He reiterated that discussing salary levels would constitute an intervention in a matter that falls outside his national competency.

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I don't want to give an average. Every time one says a number, another comes and denies it. What I want to explain a bit is that it is the competence of each of the provinces.