Colombia’s Congress approves historic labor reform, Petro withdraws referendum – Colombia News

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro withdrew a referendum on Friday after Congress approved much of the labor reform that was initially shelved by a Senate commission.

Both houses of the Congress approved the labor reform bill hours before going on summer recess until July 20.

The votes that ratified the labor reform, which has been proposed by the Petro administration, was boycotted by the conservative and far-right parties in both the Senate and the House.

Most important elements of the labor reform

• Multiple articles in the reform seek to make it more difficult companies to perpetually employ workers on a temporary basis, including those who are employed in the so-called gig economy.
• Companies will have to pay extra compensation for labor between 7PM and 6AM
• Some 69,000 “community mothers,” men and women who provide care and education to kids from the neighborhood, will be formally integrated into and paid by the Family Welfare Institute.
• Some 400,000 students who do an internship are granted full labor rights and be paid in full for their services
• Workers who work on Sundays and holidays will be paid double instead of 175% of the normal wage

The government and its coalition in Congress conceded in demanding menstrual leave for women, which was left out of the reform.

Petro, whose pressure on the Congress was crucial for the approval of the labor reform, celebrated the passing of the bill and said that he will “summon the country’s business community to agree on the real application of the law.”

The president also said that he will withdraw the referendum he called to force Congress into improving the precarious situation of workers in the South American country.

As I said, since the labor reform is law, I will repeal the decree that calls for the popular consultation, which is no longer necessary, the constituted power that makes the laws obeyed the sovereign power that is the people.

President Gustavo Petro

The labor reform is arguably Petro’s biggest victory as his reform agenda received significant pushback in Congress and particularly in the Senate where his coalition lacks a majority.