In a press release which we reproduce in full below, SIPREBA, the Buenos Aires Press Union, announced the filing of a new appeal for legal protection in rejection of the Decree of Necessity and Urgency promoted by the Milei government (DNU 70/2023). The press workers thus join the numerous groups that have gone to court in the same way, demanding – in defence of their sector – the rejection of the measure and the suspension of its application.

These are just some of the organisations and entities that have taken action against the DNU: Argentine Federation of Municipalities, FAM, (500 mayors from all over the country); Observatory of the Right to the City; Federation of Tourism Companies; Public Bar Association of Federal Capital; General Confederation of Labour (CGT); Central of Workers of Argentina (CTA); Pharmaceutical Confederation; Argentine Confederation of Sports; Huarpe Clara Rosa Guakinchay community; Single Federation of Travellers of Commerce of Argentina (FUVA); Ombudsman of the Province of Buenos Aires; Customs Brokers Centre (CDA).

SIPREBA Communiqué

We filed an injunction against DNU 70/2023 to defend the public media

We have presented ourselves before the Federal Contentious-Administrative Justice to request an injunction to challenge the DNU 70/23: we claim its unconstitutionality as a violation of art. 99.3 of the National Constitution. The request was made by FATPREN, on behalf of the unions affiliated to the Federation, of press workers and, in particular, of our colleagues in the public media.

DNU 70/2023, among other very serious reforms such as those affecting labour rights, trade union organisation, and protest, repeals law 20.705 on state enterprises and provides for the transformation of the companies RTA S.E. (of which Televisión Pública and Radio Nacional are part) and TELAM S.E. into public limited companies. This attempt to turn media outlets that fulfil a public function (established in regulations such as Law 26.522 and Decree 2507/02) into for-profit companies, thereby guaranteeing access to communication, in turn, violates the right to freedom of expression and the obligations of the State in public broadcasting, in a manner incompatible with the American Convention on Human Rights and the doctrine developed by the Inter-American Court.

This judicial presentation from the press union focused on the public media, is made from the particularity of our activity and is added, in unity, to the actions promoted by the entire trade union movement in defence of labour rights. We are part of and support the measures proposed by the trade union centres, as well as we have the commitment and conviction that the answer to these restrictive reforms of rights has to be given at the same time with mobilisation, in the workplaces, and in the organisations.

From FATPREN and SiPreBA we support our struggle. To defend public media is to guarantee the right to the communication of the citizens and the informative sovereignty of our country. With participation, organisation, unity and mobilisation we are going to defend work, rights, and democracy.

Press Union of Buenos Aires
10 January 2024