In a context of inflation, which reached 25.5% in December, one of the most important unions in Argentina reached a
joint agreement for the first month of 2024
.
This is the Commerce sector, which achieved an additional recomposition last December and, in another case of a monthly increase scheme, will sit down again to negotiate a salary increase for February.
In a meeting held this Friday, the Argentine Federation of Commerce and Services Employees (FAECYS), the Argentine Chamber of Commerce (CAC), the Confederation of Medium Enterprises (CAME) and the Union of Commercial Entities (Udeca) agreed to an increase of
11% retroactive to December, added to the 13.3%
agreed in the previous joint closing.
In addition, an additional increase of 20% was established
for January
.
These adjustments place the basic salary at
$573,423, including presenteeism
.
As happened with other unions, such as Industry, within the agreement it was also signed to negotiate again in February.
A month-by-month modality will thus be implemented.
Commerce is the union with the largest number of workers in private activity, with more than 1.3 million employees represented.
Armando Cavalieri, general secretary of FAECYS, highlighted the importance of this agreement, stating that "it responds to the demands of the moment and reflects our commitment to workers."
Cavalieri stressed the collaboration between the sectors involved to achieve a fair and sustainable balance in a context marked by uncertainty and strong price increases.
The agreement, signed at the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security, corresponds to the joint agreement of Commerce, which covers the period from April 2023 to March 2024.
It was agreed to re-negotiate in February to
address possible additional adjustments
based on evolving economic conditions.
The negotiation of the commercial sector had been delayed.
While the vast majority of unions already had the agreements closed, Commerce was still further behind.
It was due to close the first three months of 2024. After the inflationary acceleration and forecasts for the beginning of the year, it was expected to seek an 80% increase for the first quarter.
Instead, it joined the monthly agreement scheme that other unions had already implemented.
That wink from Commerce to Milei
On December 27, in the midst of the discussion over the omnibus law and the mega DNU, the head of the Commerce union, Armando Cavalieri, participated in the CGT march to demand that Justice declare the decree unconstitutional.
However, at the same time, he winked at the libertarian's management.
Armando Cavalieri during the meeting with Minister Sandra Pettovello and the Secretary of Labor, Omar Yasín.
It is that he announced that he will incorporate into the collective agreement of the activity the new "employment termination fund" promoted in the questioned DNU to replace the usual compensations.
The decision of the leadership of the union was transmitted by Cavalieri himself to the Minister of Human Capital, Sandra Pettovello, and the Secretary of Labor, Omar Yasín, in a meeting held at the headquarters of the portfolio.
Pettovello herself was in charge of making the union decision official through a statement, which was ratified a short time later by the leadership of the commercial union.