Two workers’ centers, left parties, and social movements moved back into the city center this Wednesday, pressing for attention in Buenos Aires for reasons that echo months and years of struggle: money doesn’t stretch far enough, and poverty remains stubbornly high. In this moment, the crowd largely redirected their ire away from the president, Alberto Fernández, recognizing that much of the leadership in unions leans Peronist. They instead highlighted economic irresponsibility from major price-makers who raise core product costs to pad profits. Argentina could close 2022 with inflation exceeding 100 percent. “Alberto, we need action, we can’t endure this any longer,” proclaimed Pablo Moyano, a prominent union figure who leads the truckers. Sergio Massa, the new economy minister, faces a delicate task as Central Bank reserves thin and the government negotiates a path with the IMF. A new line of social discontent is taking shape, driven by financial speculation that favors devaluation to boost profits for a few while crushing workers’ purchasing power.
Within this climate, those steering mobilizations argue that any econo-structural move must resist favoring concentrated power or shattering the wages of workers. They insist a new social contract is essential—one that supports an inclusive model where growth and fairness go hand in hand. Fernández, in turn, is seeking to persuade union leaders and business figures to agree on a wage settlement that could partially restore the eroded purchasing power of households. It is a tall order, given the tempo of price rises and the urgency felt by millions who live close to the edge.
President Fernández has faced exceptionally tough hours since the Frente de Todos coalition took office in December 2019, pledging to mend the wounds left by a prior right-leaning administration. The pandemic exacerbated living conditions, while the economy was projected to grow this year. Yet persistent currency depreciation and inflation complicate any gains in real wages, widening inequality. Data from social research groups shows a growing share of Argentines experiencing hardship daily, highlighting how precarious the middle and lower classes have become.
disruption and conflict
Since 2017, wages for Argentines have declined in real terms by about 23 percent, with informal workers hit harder by nearly a third. Pensioners have seen their purchasing power contract by more than a third since 2015, even as the state has expanded some social programs to cushion what’s lost. Analysts note that social protection programs now cover more people in monetary terms than five years ago, yet the value lost through price pressures remains a heavy burden for many families.
Official statistics from the National Ministry of Labor, alongside international benchmarks, show Argentina experiences far higher levels of labor unrest than the global average. Estimates indicate a rate of significant labor actions that, when seen over a decade, reveal hundreds of strikes and protests per 100,000 people. In recent years, public administration, health, and education have seen frequent stoppages, underscoring the fragility of daily governance amid economic stress.
pop ghost
Unlike regional neighbors such as Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile, where social explosions have surged since 2019, Argentina has so far relied on workers’ centers and social movements to contain rising anger. Yet leaders in the popular economy, including Juan Grabois, warn that these buffers are fraying and that the country could edge toward scenarios seen elsewhere in the region. “Look, Alberto, we’re asking you not to allow extreme poverty to persist in one of the world’s wealthiest countries,” Grabois told marchers, voicing a common demand for a more inclusive economic path.