On 18 March 2025, in Rio Gallegos (Santa Cruz), around 40 members of the Santa Cruz Teachers Association (ADOSAC) gathered at the Rio Chico bridge, blocking traffic with their vehicles and burning tires. Participants repudiated the provincial government's wage offer.

Supply-chain Risk Briefing: Teacher Protests in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina

1) Summary On March 18, 2025, approximately 40 members of the teachers' union (ADOSAC) in Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, blocked the Río Chico Bridge and burned tires in protest demanding wage increases. The current risk level is assessed as low, with temporary disruptions to local traffic.

2) Supply-chain impact

• Regional logistics delays: Río Gallegos is a major city in southern Santa Cruz Province, and bridge blockades may cause delays in regional freight transportation
• Patagonia regional ripple effects: Santa Cruz Province is concentrated with primary industries including wool, petroleum, and natural gas, raising concerns about impacts on raw material shipments during transportation blockades
• Port accessibility: Río Gallegos port is one of the regional export hubs, and prolonged road blockades are expected to disrupt cargo shipping schedules
• Energy infrastructure: Blockades of access routes to nearby petroleum and gas facilities may indirectly affect production and maintenance operations

3) Watch points

• Union negotiation progress: Whether wage negotiations between ADOSAC and the Santa Cruz provincial government reach agreement and announcements of additional protest plans
• Potential spread to other regions: Monitoring solidarity protests by teachers' unions in other Argentine provinces or similar public sector strike movements