Buenos Aires Herald 
Updated at 6.45 p.m. to reflect the news that the strike was suspended and that buses will operate normally on Friday.
The Argentine government issued an obligatory conciliation in order to prevent a 24-hour bus strike on Friday in Buenos Aires City and its surrounding metropolitan area. Bus drivers were set to begin the protest at 12 a.m. on Friday in demand of higher salaries. This measure halts the protest that the Automobile and Tram Union (UTA, by its Spanish initials) had announced.
According to a communiqué published by the Human Capital Ministry, the measure was issued in response to a request made by the four major business chambers operating in the sector. The text added that the companies and the unions now have 15 days to continue salary negotiations.
The statement also said that the measure forbids all sides from any “retaliation or strikes” during this time frame. Although UTA had not yet confirmed whether they would join the 24-hour national general strike called for by the General Confederation of Labor (CGT by its Spanish acronym) for April 10, this resolution explicitly takes that possibility off the table for them.
The UTA’s position
The UTA had announced the decision on Wednesday after failing to reach an agreement over salary increases with bus companies. The union had already warned of this potential outcome if no agreement was reached.
“Due to the refusal of the companies to carry out any salary increase, the decision has been made to move forward with a 24-hour activity stoppage for Friday March 28, starting at 12 a.m.,” UTA said in a press release.
According to UTA, the measure was set to affect 9 million passengers who use bus services daily in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area.
The government — which acts as an intermediary between the two actors during salary negotiations — had initially fixed a new meeting to continue discussing the union’s demands on April 3.