A federal judge in San Martín suspended government plans to implement mass dismissals and service closures at the Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial (INTI).

The ruling halts a cost-saving initiative that workers argue threatens essential industrial functions and the stability of the national technical infrastructure. The judicial intervention comes after a period of intense labor unrest and legal challenges regarding the legality of the cuts.

Workers at the institute, represented by the ATE union, staged protests and a 24-hour strike on May 7, 2026 [2]. The demonstrations took place at the INTI facilities located on General Paz and Constituyentes avenues in Buenos Aires [1].

The government sought to implement Resolution 42/2026, a measure designed to reduce state spending. While reports on the scale of the layoffs vary, some sources indicate the government analyzed the dismissal of 700 employees [2], while other reports cited 250 dismissals [1].

Beyond the loss of personnel, the plan included the closure of more than 900 services [3]. The ATE union and institute staff said the dismissals were unjust and would cripple the organization's ability to provide technical support to the industry.

The judicial injunction was issued on a Wednesday in May 2026 [3]. The court order effectively froze the implementation of Resolution 42/2026, preventing the government from proceeding with the layoffs and the shutdown of the identified services until a final legal determination is made.

This legal victory for the union follows a series of mobilizations intended to bring public attention to the perceived dismantling of the institute's capabilities. The workers said the measure was an attack on the country's technological sovereignty.

“A federal judge in San Martín suspended government plans to implement mass dismissals.”

This judicial intervention highlights the tension between the Argentine government's aggressive austerity measures and the legal protections afforded to public sector employees. By blocking Resolution 42/2026, the court has created a temporary shield for the INTI workforce, but the conflict underscores a broader struggle over the role of state-funded technical institutes in the national economy.