Labor Strikes

[Thomaso276]

I thought I would start a new thread so we can all be current about transportation and other service issues that may effect us daily. Here is the latest strike, tonight, Monday, August 7 starting at 2200 and ending at 0600. Quoted from the Clarin:

05:02 | Los taxistas anunciaron un paro para esta noche.

Las cámaras que nuclean a los propietarios resolvieron suspender el servicio nocturno en reclamo de una recomposición tarifaria, por lo que no circularán unidades desde las 22 why hasta las 6 de mañana.

Apparently they want a 46% increase after three fare increases in the past year and a half. They also want some sort of tax credit extension for buying new cabs and possibly some government reimbursement for damage from the hail storm last week. I swear this whole country wants everyone else to pay their bills!

I will post any future information on subway, buses, banks, etc. as stories appear in the papers or the news.

[Jackson]

Greetings everyone,

I thought it was strange tonight that it took me 10 minutes to get a taxi at a street corner in Congreso where I've never waited more that 30 seconds, but the mystery was solved a few blocks later as I encounter a taxi demonstration in the form of a street blockade on Callao at Cordoba. Several dozen taxi drivers had parked their cars in the middle of the street, many with some sort of black and yellow flags hanging out their windows, calmly smoking cigarettes and otherwise milling around in the street in protest for higher taxi fares.

Thanks,

Jackson

[MCSE]

Also long distance busses increased their rates. Cab rates are controlled by the porteno authority, and coincidence or not, every time cabs raised rates everything else and especially pussy does too.

[Rockin Bob]

Same thing happened to me, Jackson. I'm out on Callao thinking this is a long time to wait for a taxi!

The thing that got me into a panic is, like what if I'm out at Doly's or something and it's 2 in the morning and there's no cab?

Maybe I should keep Ana Luna's phone number with me at all times.

But yeah, as reported they had a mini strike to urge for higher fares. You have to admit, the fares here are pretty cheap! Enjoy 'em while you can!

As for the chicas, fortunately they don't run on gasoline.

[Thomaso276]

Gov't caves in once again! They want inflation to run rampant:

"En el primer aumento, que se espera que rija a partir de la semana próxima, la ficha que cae cada 200 metros recorridos o por cada minuto de espera pasará de 22 a 24 centavos why la bajada de bandera subirá de 1,98 peso a 2,16." (from The Clarin)

So it's 2.16 to start and 24 cents per minute or 200 meters. Another increase coming in Nov. Or Dec. As follows: (another 9% or so)

"Además se convocará para setiembre u octubre a una audiencia pública para discutir un segundo aumento que se concretaría en noviembre o diciembre. En esa oportunidad —según lo acordado— la ficha pasará a 26 centavos, pero la bajada de bandera aumentará más, porque irá de las 9 fichas que se cobran hoy a 10. Así, cuando una persona comience un viaje, el taxímetro marcará 2,60 pesos." (from the Clarin)

I hope the girls don't figure out this system of strike for a day and get immediate increases. It has worked for truckers, subway workers, oil workers, airline workers, etc. There is very little fiscal discipline here.

AS well, EEUU yesterday took away some preferencial trade status from Argentina (and other countries) That's what you get when you pal around with Chavez. Finally an article about increasing pensions challenged that the court ruling will harm the fiscal surplus Arg. Has built up.

I can see where these Peronist folks give away as much as they can and why this country flops about every 10 years.

[MCSE]

They've made the strike just as a demonstration, and it seems that the porteno government is so weak since this is not the only case, they call this tendence as "garantismo", anyway, cab owners were also asking for tax exemption / reduction but that was not granted, government decided to increase rates not reducing taxes for buying new cars, so probably the argentinean people will have the same old peugeot 504 for higher rates. An especulative inflation is announced for 2007 / 2008 in Argentina.

[Seismo]

Workers at the National Mint in Mendoza announced they will be going on strike next week.

It seems they want to make less money!