Córdoba municipal workers: the conflict enters a key phase with conciliation at the limit

This Tuesday, representatives from Suoem and the Municipality of Córdoba will hold a new meeting at the Ministry of Labor. The meeting, which will once again be mediated by Omar Sereno, coincides with the expiration of the first stage of conciliation. If no agreement is reached, a second stage would automatically open for another ten business days.

In recent weeks, both parties have achieved certain progress on peripheral issues, but  without resolving the salary issue. The union is demanding improvements for contracted workers and interns, and is questioning the lack of firm collective bargaining proposals. The official offer was considered by the union as "a direct provocation to the dignity of all workers."

A rejected proposal and little room for negotiation

The proposal presented by the Executive includes three increases of 1.19% to be applied in July, September, and November. According to what was offered, all would be calculated based on May salaries and without capitalization between stages. In addition, a non-remunerative bonus of $51,000 would be included in three installments.

The union leadership interpreted the proposal as insufficient and described the offer as "an insulting pittance." Despite the language used, Suoem has accepted similar conditions in the past without major internal resistance. Today, the municipality is expected to repeat its proposal with minimal changes.

Sources close to the municipality state that there are no real hopes for an immediate agreement. The labor department will seek to extend the conciliation to ensure stability in services. Pressure will increase as the October election campaign approaches and the conflict remains active.

Suoem attempts to expand its extortion strategy to the interior of the country

During the conciliation, the union has sought support among unions in the provincial interior. Through FESIMUPC, it coordinated actions with unions from Río Cuarto and San Francisco. The objective is to nationalize the conflict and demonstrate strength beyond the capital.

Suoem's attempt to nationalize the conflict reveals a political rather than a union strategy. Instead of seeking concrete solutions for Córdoba's employees, the union is dedicated to exporting its conflict for extortion purposes. This maneuver not only harms the city's residents, but also exposes the true interest of the leadership: to maintain privileges at any cost.

In addition, the union launched a campaign against the administration of Kirchnerist mayor Daniel Passerini. With political criticism, the union aims to establish that the city "is poorly governed". This stance appears every time salary increases or working conditions are discussed.

The municipality points out that its position is to safeguard public resources, even though the city has a giant municipal mega-structure. The tension between both parties shows no signs of easing in the short term. Everything will depend on the outcome of today's meeting and the result of the conciliation.