Jorge Altamira
Encyclopedia
Jorge Altamira is an Argentine activist and politician leading the Workers' Party
in Argentina.
He was born José Saúl Wermus (sometimes spelled "José Huermus") in Buenos Aires
, in 1942. Son of a printing
worker active in the Graphist Union, Altamira began participating in the labor movement at an early age, and took part in a number of strikes. Altamira married the former Julieta Sytar, and had one son. He founded am advocacy magazine, Política Obrera, in 1964, and, later a party by the same name. The party was banned following the March 1976 coup, however, though in 1982, amid the political liberalization that preceded the 1983 return to democracy
, he founded the Workers' Party of Argentina. He was among five Workers' Party leaders arrested during the 1989 riots in Argentina
on suspicion of incitement
; the charges were later dropped.Clarín: Detienen a Altamira (3 June 1989)
Altamira was elected to the Buenos Aires City Legislature
in 2000. He pursued a vigorous labor rights
agenda during his tenure at the legislature, and proposed a six-hour workday for Buenos Aires Metro
employees working underground, a law protecting workers' self-management
of bankrupt businesses, a hike in the minimum wage
to cover the poverty line in the city (higher than in most of the rest of Argentina), and a universal healthcare coverage law. He has unsuccessfully run for both a seat in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
, as well as for the Presidency, and is one of the nine members of the Co-ordinating Committee for the Refoundation of the Fourth International
.
Workers' Party (Argentina)
The Workers' Party is an Argentine Trotskyist political party. It is the largest national section of the Co-ordinating Committee for the Refoundation of the Fourth International....
in Argentina.
He was born José Saúl Wermus (sometimes spelled "José Huermus") in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, in 1942. Son of a printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
worker active in the Graphist Union, Altamira began participating in the labor movement at an early age, and took part in a number of strikes. Altamira married the former Julieta Sytar, and had one son. He founded am advocacy magazine, Política Obrera, in 1964, and, later a party by the same name. The party was banned following the March 1976 coup, however, though in 1982, amid the political liberalization that preceded the 1983 return to democracy
Argentine general election, 1983
The Argentine general election of 1983 was held on 30 October and marked the return of Democracy after the 1976's dictatorship self-known as National Reorganization Process...
, he founded the Workers' Party of Argentina. He was among five Workers' Party leaders arrested during the 1989 riots in Argentina
1989 riots in Argentina
The 1989 food riots were a series of riots and related episodes of looting in stores and supermarkets in Argentina, during the last part of the presidency of Raúl Alfonsín, between May and June 1989...
on suspicion of incitement
Incitement
In English criminal law, incitement was an anticipatory common law offence and was the act of persuading, encouraging, instigating, pressuring, or threatening so as to cause another to commit a crime....
; the charges were later dropped.Clarín: Detienen a Altamira (3 June 1989)
Altamira was elected to the Buenos Aires City Legislature
Buenos Aires City Legislature
The Buenos Aires City Legislature is a central part of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, as well as an architectural landmark in the city's Montserrat section.-History:...
in 2000. He pursued a vigorous labor rights
Labor rights
Labor rights or workers' rights are a group of legal rights and claimed human rights having to do with labor relations between workers and their employers, usually obtained under labor and employment law. In general, these rights' debates have to do with negotiating workers' pay, benefits, and safe...
agenda during his tenure at the legislature, and proposed a six-hour workday for Buenos Aires Metro
Buenos Aires Metro
The Buenos Aires Metro , locally known as Subte is a mass-transit system that serves the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The first station of this network opened in 1913, the first of its kind in South America, the Southern Hemisphere and the entire Spanish-speaking world...
employees working underground, a law protecting workers' self-management
Workers' self-management
Worker self-management is a form of workplace decision-making in which the workers themselves agree on choices instead of an owner or traditional supervisor telling workers what to do, how to do it and where to do it...
of bankrupt businesses, a hike in the minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
to cover the poverty line in the city (higher than in most of the rest of Argentina), and a universal healthcare coverage law. He has unsuccessfully run for both a seat in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
Argentine Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
, as well as for the Presidency, and is one of the nine members of the Co-ordinating Committee for the Refoundation of the Fourth International
Co-ordinating Committee for the Refoundation of the Fourth International
The Coordinating Committee for the Refoundation of the Fourth International is a Trotskyist international organisation. Its name in Spanish is Coordinadora por la Refundación de la Cuarta Internacional. It was formed in 2004 at a conference in Buenos Aires called by the Movement for the...
.