BUENOS AIRES, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Argentine railway workers went on strike Tuesday to demand higher wages, a move criticized by President Javier Milei's government for leaving a million passengers stranded.

Local and regional train service in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area was suspended by the six-hour stoppage, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time (1200 GMT to 2100 GMT), led by the La Fraternidad union.

The union announced the strike on Jan. 21, demanding higher wages along with an additional 153,000 pesos (145 U.S. dollars), 10 percent of a worker's salary, to cover the cost of a basic food basket and offset the inflation-driven loss of purchasing power.

The state-owned company Trenes Argentinos Operaciones released a statement on Monday that the strike would affect about a million passengers.

"Due to this strike, it is estimated that the National State will lose more than 100 million pesos in the payment of fares for those who will not be able to make their trips," it said.

Railway staff are demanding a 46 percent wage increase to offset the loss of purchasing power since Milei's government took office in December 2023, while authorities have offered just 3.5 percent. Enditem

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