STORY: :: Buenos Aires, Argentina / February 19, 2026
:: Argentinians take to the streets as Congress debates labor reform backed by President Javier Milei
:: Flights were cancelled and trains halted amid a 24-hour nationwide strike
The government argues that the bill, approved last week by the Senate with support from the ruling party and its center-right allies, would encourage investment and promote formal employment.
The reform would impose new limits on the right to strike by requiring essential services to maintain minimum operations during stoppages. It would also lower severance costs for employers by excluding certain bonuses from the compensation formula.
The vote in the Chamber of Deputies is expected late on Thursday. Any changes to the bill would send it back to the Senate for a final vote before it can become law.
