The Argentina maritime strike has disrupted port operations nationwide as unions protest President Javier Milei’s labor reform. Maritime federations including FESIMAF launched a 48-hour stoppage, while the CGT called a 24-hour general strike on February 19. Unions say the reform would limit the right to strike, extend working hours from 8 to 12 without overtime pay, reduce severance compensation and move seafarers from the Employment Contract Act to the Commercial Code.
Labor reform and seafarers’ rights under pressure
Approved by the Senate and now debated in the lower house, the bill is presented by the government as a modernization effort to boost hiring in an economy with over 40% informal employment. It would reduce employer contributions, tighten sick leave rules and weaken collective bargaining. Maritime unions warn that excluding seafarers from labor law protections could undermine job stability and navigation safety across Argentina’s merchant marine.
Rosario hub and port operations disrupted
The strike has directly hit the agro-export sector. According to CIARA-CEC president Gustavo Idigoras, grain shipments are effectively paralyzed. In the Rosario port hub, one of the world’s largest agricultural export centers, loading operations, pilot transfers, tugboats and offshore support vessels were suspended. Industry sources said vessels already loading may halt before reaching sailing draft. Emergency and safety-critical services remain operational, but tensions continue in Buenos Aires and major Argentine ports.
