The Association of State Workers (ATE) sent a letter to the Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich, for the intimation that the ministry made to the union to pay more than 56 million pesos for the security operation of the mobilizations of last December 22 and 27. In addition, they demanded that he "put an end to his persecutory and anti-union actions".
In the text, which bears the signature of the general secretary of that union, Rodolfo Aguiar, they warn the official that if she continues in her "persecutory" attitude against the unions, they will be the ones who denounce her.
In the letter, ATE denies the "existence of cause or obligation" for the union to pay the expenses of the security operation deployed and calls on the official to "cease her absurd, unreasonable and illegal attempt to enrich herself without cause", as well as "her evident persecutory and anti-union attitude".
The note was disseminated by Aguiar himself on his social networks. Bullrich had on Thursday ordered more than 20 unions, including ATE, and social organizations to pay amounts of up to $56 million in fines for the expenses of the security operation deployed in the protests of December 22 and 27 held in Plaza de Mayo and Courts, respectively, against DNU 70/2023 signed by President Javier Milei.
"We deny the existence of a cause or obligation for which ATE must pay any sum, as well as that the Ministry of Security has the authority to pursue the collection of any sum of money for operating costs within the framework of a social mobilization" and "much less to create a penalty or obligation to pay that by law does not exist." Aguiar points out in the letter document.
MRS. @PatoBullrich HERE'S ATE'S ANSWER FOR THE 56 MILLION!
Now, we are the ones who intimate her.
Cease your absurd, unreasonable, and illegal attempt to enrich yourself without cause.
Their resolutions are all null and void. You and your ministry don't have the authority to... pic.twitter.com/DC0XBOR6ke
— Rodolfo Aguiar (@rodoaguiar) January 13, 2024
Now, ATE intimates Bullrich in the exchange of letters document
The union also denied that "neither that Ministry nor any other organ of the Executive Branch has the authority to characterize the exercise of the right to strike and protest as an 'illegitimate act.'"
"Indeed, the legitimate exercise of a right, as in the case of the mobilization strike called by ATE on 22/12/23, can never be considered illegal or illegitimate," they clarify.
At the end of the text, they urge Bullrich to "cease his absurd, unreasonable and illegal attempt to enrich himself without cause, as well as his evident persecutory and anti-union attitude, under threat of carrying out the trade union and legal actions, at the national and international level, that we deem appropriate".
In the text on social media with which he accompanied the photo of the document letter, Aguiar insists that now they are the ones who intimate Bullrich.
"Their resolutions are all null and void. You and your ministry do not have the authority to pursue the collection of any sum of money, much less to create a penalty or obligation to pay that does not exist in the law," said the trade unionist.