▁larger ). ▁The ▁negoti ations ▁were ▁soon ▁joined ▁by ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Labor ▁and ▁personal ▁friend ▁of ▁Mer c ante ' s : ▁Col . ▁Juan ▁Per ón . ▁ ▁Union ▁represent atives ▁found ▁in ▁Per ón ▁a ▁sympath etic ▁and ▁char ism atic ▁voice ▁through ▁whom ▁they ▁could ▁be ▁a ▁strong ▁influence ▁in ▁government ▁policy . ▁Only ▁around ▁ 1 0 ▁percent ▁of ▁Argentina ' s ▁labor ▁force ▁was ▁union ized ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁and ▁many ▁union ▁leaders ▁saw ▁a ▁unique ▁opportunity ▁in ▁Per ón , ▁who ▁obtained ▁their ▁support ▁for ▁his ▁request ▁to ▁the ▁president ▁that ▁the ▁Labor ▁Secret ariat ▁by ▁made ▁into ▁a ▁cabinet - level ▁min istry . ▁O thers ▁supported ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁backing ▁Per ón ▁in ▁a ▁Labor ▁Party ▁ticket , ▁out right . ▁Bor l eng hi ▁was ▁initially ▁opposed ▁to ▁such ▁a ▁mut ually - binding ▁end ors ement , ▁though ▁by ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁the ▁Labor ▁Minister ' s ▁record ▁had ▁won ▁him ▁over , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁now - re un ified ▁CG T . ▁ ▁Per ón ▁rise ▁to ▁prom in ence ▁fed ▁rival ries ▁within ▁the ▁regime , ▁which ▁had ▁him ▁res ign ▁as ▁Vice ▁President ▁and ▁arrested ▁on ▁October ▁ 9 . ▁Con vin ced ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁perman ently ▁s idel ined , ▁a ▁meeting ▁of ▁ 2 4 ▁union ▁leaders ▁resolved ▁to ▁create ▁their ▁Labor ▁Party , ▁and ▁to ▁proceed ▁with ▁or ▁without ▁Per ón . ▁There ▁were ▁two ▁ab