Privatizations: the Government reduced 20% of the employees in public companies in two years

In that period, the number of workers in thirty state-owned companies they went from just over 92 thousand to around 72 thousand employees. The two public companies with the largest workforce are Railway Operatorwhich supervises passenger trains, and the Argentine Mail.

The information comes from a quarterly survey carried out by the Ministry of Finance. In the last year, staffing increased from 76,823 in the first quarter of 2025 to 72,021 in March of this year. It represents a drop of 4,800 employees (6.2% reduction).

According to the detailed data, the largest employer within public companies is Operadora Ferroviaria, whose commercial name is Argentine Trains Operationsand which is in charge of providing rail passenger transport services. It also ensures the maintenance of rolling stock, the maintenance of railway infrastructure.

Thus includes the lines Sarmiento, Miter, San Martín, Roca and Belgrano Sur. Also regional services in Entre Ríos, Salta, Chaco, Neuquén and Córdoba; the routes that connect Buenos Aires with Mar del Plata, Córdoba, Rosario, Junín or Tucumán.

It is in charge of 19,330 employees, while two years ago there were 23,812, a adjustment of almost 19%. The company explains that these were departures by mutual agreement or voluntary retirements.

Railway Operator is, in addition, the public company that receives the most Treasury funds required for its operation: they were almost $240 billion in the first quarter of the year for the payment of salaries.

In second place appears the Argentine Mailwhich at the end of 2023 employed 16,829 people and last March had 11,448 workers. Are 5,381 less (a reduction of 32% of the total).

Farther behind were Aerolíneas Argentinas (9,960 workers), AySA (5,975), Belgrano Cargas (4,047), Corredores Viales (3,312), Nucleoeléctrica Argentina (2,917), Empresa Argentina de Navigation Aerial, ENEA (2,288), Radio y Televisión Argentina (2,138) and Yacimiento Carboniferous Río Turbio (1,986).

The Ministry of Economy reported that most of the public companies that are subject to privatization They began 2026 with surplus financial results.

Among the more than 30 State companies analyzed in the official report, the financial surplus was $183,000 million in the first quarter of the year. In that same quarter of the previous year the surplus had been much smaller, barely $7,092 million.

The difference is the amount of current income that the group of public companies had (including Treasury transfers) that grew at a rate of 35.3% (up to $3.4 trillion), while expenses grew at 30.6% (up to $2.8 trillion).

Among those close to privatization, Enarsa improved its financial results and ended the first quarter with surplus of $317 billion. Some $362 billion The company’s income came from the marketing and transportation of gas.

AySA had a surplus first quarter con $41,637 million. Corredores Viales registered it in $20,127 millionExchange in $9,574 million. On the contrary, Belgrano Cargas had a loss in the first quarter due to $10,229 million; while Nucleoeléctrica Argentina was for $55,231 million.