Hugo Yasky
Hugo Yasky, born in 1949, is an Argentine teacher, union leader, and politician. He began teaching in 1971, eventually becoming a significant figure in teachers' unions and broader labor movements before being elected to the Chamber of Deputies.
Teaching trajectory
Hugo Yasky began his career as a teacher in 1971, initially teaching literacy to adults. He continued teaching during military service, providing literacy education to aspiring engineering officers. Later, he taught young children in La Matanza. He was fired in 1978 under the National Reorganization Process but resumed teaching in 1981.
Political trajectory
Yasky's political trajectory began with his involvement in teachers' unions, starting with control of a local union and later creating the local teachers’ union in Lomas de Zamora. He was elected president of the CTA (a central union) and in 2008, President of IEAL (the Education International for Latin America). He has served in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies since 2017, holding his congressional seat as part of broader Kirchnerist and Peronist coalitions, including the Frente de Todos party.
Connections between both careers
Yasky's work within the union was a huge basis for his activism, and he explicitly connected living and working in neighborhoods to Peronism, emphasizing the connection between education and public policy. His advocacy for workers' rights and public school reform directly stems from his background as a teacher and union leader.
Sources
Sverdlick, Ingrid. 2023. “Interview with Hugo Yasky,” Interview. Annals of Common Education. https://cendie.abc.gob.ar/revistas/index.php/revistaanales/article/view/1750/3051.
Clarín. 2011. “La Justicia falló a favor del kirchnerista Yasky y anuló las elecciones complementarias en la CTA.” Clarín, July 14, 2011. https://www.clarin.com/politica/Justicia-anulo-elecciones-complementarias-CTA_0_Byom_nkTPml.html#google_vignette.