Artaza and L-Gante, the visible faces of the new union sponsored by Barrionuevo

In a country with an abundance of unions for artists and cultural workers, on Tuesday, July 1, the launch of the Sindicato de Artistas Unidos Argentinos (S.A.U.A.) was made official, led by comedian and former senator Nito Artaza as general secretary, together with Dulce Granados as deputy secretary.

The ceremony took place at the Complejo Belgrano, where renowned entertainment figures such as Antonio Tarragó Ros, Abel Visconti, Kike Teruel, Marina Glezer, Federica Pais, and singer L-Gante, among others, participated.

All of them signed the founding document of this new entity which, according to its promoters, has a federal approach and aims to "integrate and not compete."

A union with political heavyweights as sponsors

The most striking moment of the event was the appointment as union sponsors of Luis Barrionuevo, historic leader of UTHGRA—now in his eighth national term—, and his ex-wife Sandra Barrionuevo, current secretary of social assistance of the hotel workers' union. The explicit support of the union leader makes clear a strong political network behind this new project.

Although S.A.U.A. presents itself as an alternative support for artists and cultural workers—offering everything from health insurance to hotel agreements and legal advice—the closeness to Barrionuevo raises suspicions about the true purpose of the union, which seems more connected to the structure of union power than to the genuine demand for artistic representation.

"We're not here to compete, but to add," said Artaza. Meanwhile, Granados spoke of "a tradition that enlivens the present." Despite the inclusive discourse, the overlap with already existing unions such as AAA, SATSAID, SADeM, SUTEP, AAA, or UADAV is undeniable.

Proliferation of unions: real need or strategy?

Currently, the artistic union scene in Argentina is already covered by multiple organizations that represent musicians, actors, technicians, dancers, acrobats, and other entertainment workers. From the Asociación Argentina de Actores to Artistas Visuales Autoconvocades, the union universe is anything but scarce.

In this context, the emergence of S.A.U.A. raises more questions than answers. Is it a genuine response to an unmet demand or a strategy to consolidate influence from a new front?

The immediate articulation with tourism services, university agreements, and medical coverage suggests a structure designed to attract members beyond the artistic field.

Meanwhile, the sponsorship of Barrionuevo and the political weight carried by his last name fuel the idea that this union is just another piece on the board of Argentine union power, where creating unions is also a way to remain relevant.