December 15 was one of the main dates to define the increase in the minimum wage for 2025. This day meant the first deadline for the Government, businessmen and workers to agree on next year’s figure, as laid down in Colombian law. However, so far, there is no agreement to increase the reward, which is currently $1,300,000.
Despite this, the Minister of Labour, Gloria Inés Ramírez, does not lose hope that there will be an agreement between the parties and it will not be necessary for the increase to occur, as happened for 2024 (when it was 12%9, through methods ). presidential decree.
You can follow us now Facebook and in our WhatsApp channel.
The official recalled that this is why bilateral and multilateral meetings are taking place. He even revealed that he had already had 13 meetings. Regarding what will happen starting Monday, December 16, he reported that four more meetings will be held before the Labor and Wages Policy Coordination Table is convened, which will be at 2:00 pm at the headquarters of the Ministry of Labour.
He noted that although the first date expires on Sunday, December 15, Continue the meetings to reach agreements that facilitate the definition of a figure during the third week of December, when the negotiations will continue.
“I am meeting with all the actors so that we can effectively build the figure together,” he said. Radio RCN. He insisted that he feels there is willingness and motivation, which is why he sees progress.
Since the first deadline has expired, he said it is necessary to work on finding an agreement before December 31, the date considered by law for President Gustavo Petro to make a decision and establish it with a decree.
“It is defined that reservations will be made on December 16 and I hope we can make an agreement and we will work towards that and if not, the procedure will be there,” said. In this regard, Ramírez explained that after what is discussed, he will give extraordinary sessions and, based on them, in such a case, the decree will be produced.
The parties have already indicated their intention to increase the minimum wage in 2025. On the one hand, The National Unitary Command, which represents the labor unions, asks that it be 12%, that is, $156,000, which would make it $1,456,000. Although business people, in general, did not give a figure. However, the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (Acopi) put an increase of 5.2%, or $67,600, on the table, which would make the payment $1,367,600.
Because of this, the parties explained why they are making these requests. On the one hand, the president of the Unitary Center of the CUT Workers and the representative of the National Unitary Command, Fabio Arias, noted that they are looking for measures to maintain purchasing power: “We asked for a review of housing rental fees; the increases in products controlled by the State and pensioners’ proposals, such as including them in the increase in the minimum wage, that there is an allowance of 14 and that their health contributions and their contributions to family compensation funds would be reduced.
He also said that he was also raised “that the interest rates of the Republic Bank be reduced, that the financial costs be examined and that the minimum wage be raised by 12%, as in the case of transport assistance.”
For his part, the president of the National Association of Businessmen of Colombia (Andi), Bruce Macan Master, said that “we decided to ask the Minister, like in previous years, that we do a concerted exercise, which is not simple and is not. We need good will, seek rapprochement and give reasons that allow us to move forward.”
Although the president of Acopia, Rodolfo Correa, argued that “the language cannot be the language of the lost or the victorious. “We’re just starting to talk.” For him, you have to have a lot of common sense. In this regard, he said that “The data must prevail and, in fact, from the business sector we are clear that the more the minimum wage increases, the greater the difficulties and consequences will be on the economy.”
