Under the slogan “Our Homeland is not for sale”, the General Confederation of Labour (CGT, by its initials in Spanish) has officially called for a demonstration on May 1, on occasion of International Workers’ Day.
The march will begin at 10 AM at Independencia Av. and Defensa St, and head toward the Monument to Labor, on 800 Paseo Colón Av, in Buenos Aires.
Under the slogan “Our Homeland is not for sale. To the streets to change our lives. We must defend our rights”, the national trade union federation published a video today on its social media, in which they call for the demonstration.
An iconic monument
The monument, Ode to Labor -toward which the CGT will be marching-, is a group of sculptures by Argentinian artist Rogelio de Yrurtia (1879-1950), made in Paris in 1907.
In the monument, fourteen bronze human figures drag a huge rock, symbolizing the effort of human labor in pursuit of progress. The five figures marching ahead represent the family: the father, advancing calmly, the mother, her gaze lost in the distance as if searching for her children’s future, and three children, symbolizing hope.
The CGT’s struggle plan
Within the frame of a struggle plan that was announced a few weeks ago, the CGT participated in the massive demonstration in defense of state universities; it will organize another massive demonstration on May 1, International Workers’ Day, and the following week, on May 9, it will carry out the second general strike against the Milei administration.
The first 24-hour strike against the Milei administration was carried out on January 24.
A few days ago, general secretary of the Health Workers’ Union and board member of CGT Héctor Daer explained that in the rally on International Workers’ Day “we will not only commemorate this historical day but also discuss a document regarding the country we look forward to, with the matters that have been derailed in the last months”.