A strike by Argentine transport workers caused chaos for Buenos Aires commuters and forced airlines to cancel flights Tuesday as the government accused unions of playing pre-election politics.

Leftist unions set up road blocks at dawn on the main roads into the capital, as commuters carpooled or rented vehicles to get to work despite the 24-hour shutdown of the bus, train and subway systems.

Across Argentina, 88 per cent of stores were open, but they lost an estimated $187 million (Dh687 million) in sales, said the Argentine Confederation of Mid-size Businesses (CAME).

Ports, garbage collection and fuel deliveries were also hit by the strike.

All domestic flights were cancelled for the day, as were some international flights, airport officials said

The strike is the second in two months and the latest in a series launched by unions opposed to President Cristina Kirchner’s government.

The three main unions involved reject the government’s bid to cap salary increases at 27 per cent, complaining the figure does not keep pace with inflation forecast to come in at 30 per cent this year.

They also oppose an income tax they say hurts the lowest earners because the threshold salary subject to the tax has not been increased to keep pace with inflation.

Union leader Juan Carlos Schmid said the strike would send a “strong signal” to the government that takes power in December, after general elections on October 25 that will choose a successor to Kirchner.

The president’s cabinet chief, Anibal Fernandez, condemned it as a “political strike designed to generate confusion.”

“Union leaders have sentenced millions of Argentines to house arrest today,” said Interior Minister Florencio Randazzo, a Kirchner ally and candidate for the upcoming elections.

Several key unions, including in the banking and commerce sectors, did not join the strike because they have recently signed new contracts.

The powerful transport unions were divided. Two of them, seen as close to the government, refused to join the strikers.

“I don’t see the logic of this strike. My workplace wasn’t affected, so I decided to get here my own way,” said 27-year-old accountant Mariana Galindo as she biked to work in Buenos Aires

source : gulfnews