Following a cabinet reshuffle in the wake of the "Rodrigazo" crisis, Miguel recommended him to President Isabel Perón for the post of Minister of Labour in July 1974, following her succession to office after the death of Juan Peron. During his tenure, Ruckauf signed decree 261/75 on October 6, 1974. It granted blanket amnesty to the Armed Forces for the "annihilation of subversives". It is considered an important early milestone in what would become the state's "Dirty War" against political dissidents. Ruckauf was later accused of being responsible for the "disappearance" of 14 Mercedes-Benz workers in 1975. He remained in office until the March 1976 coup by the military.