Conicet Scientists Protest Budget Cuts, Risk of Layoffs

Scientists and technicians at Argentina's National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet) protested budget cuts and health insurance problems, denouncing what they call "scientifcide." The demonstration, organized by "Conicet en lucha," highlighted a significant drop in investment, with protesters claiming the current budget is less than in 2001.

A major concern is the potential dismissal of 379 highly qualified individuals. These are postdoctoral fellows awaiting confirmation for the 2025 Scientific and Technological Researcher Career. Normally, their scholarships receive extensions until their official appointment, but protesters learned these extensions would not be granted. "They are applicants who, according to Conicet's board, will only get a position in 2028," said participating scientist Agustín Ormazábal.

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They are applicants who, according to information from the Conicet board, will only get a position in 2028.

Conicet responded that extending these scholarships would require hundreds of billions of pesos not budgeted and is legally unfeasible without a dedicated allocation. The council did not provide a reason for the delay in confirming the researchers' positions. Protesters also reported that hundreds of Conicet workers, particularly those on doctoral and postdoctoral scholarships, have lost their health coverage with the "Unión Personal" insurance provider.

Conicet acknowledged reports of service deficiencies from some health insurance users. They stated that after complaints to Unión Personal, scholarship holders were offered the option to continue with the provider or switch to another, receiving the corresponding allowance. However, protesters claim the health insurance has been dysfunctional for two years.

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that would imply an expenditure of hundreds of billions of pesos that the organization does not have budgeted and, moreover, it is legally impossible to create or extend scholarships without the corresponding budget allocation.