Fenalco and ANDI agree on severe criticisms of labor reform
The labor reform revived yesterday in the Congress of the Republic, and with it, the controversy surrounding the bill grew, due to the possible effects of its content and to certain issues related to procedures in the Legislature.
This morning, the president of the National Association of Colombian Businessmen, Bruce Mac Master, commented on his Twitter account about the estimated effects of the labor reform, according to the Central Bank of Colombia (Banco de la Republica). The Colombian central bank stated that this could wipe out 746 thousand jobs, as a consequence of the increase in labor costs associated with salaries.
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“They have already announced that between today and Tuesday, against any reason and any possible effect, they will approve the articles of a reform that can send 746,000 people to unemployment, according to the Bank of the Republic”. This said Mac Master, in allusion to a document signed by the manager of this institution, Leonardo Villar Gómez, and which was filed in the Third Commission of the House, according to Semana magazine.
Ayer 10 representantes a la cámara de representantes (de una comisión de 21) aprobaron la ponencia de la reforma laboral – Comisión VII –
— Bruce Mac Master (@BruceMacMaster) June 16, 2023
Ya nos han anunciado que entre hoy y el martes, en contra de cualquier razón y de cualquier posible efecto, aprobarán el articulado de una… pic.twitter.com/H2TFkqcq6N
On his part, the president of the National Federation of Merchants (Fenalco), Jaime Alberto Cabal Sanclemente, also referred to the document in question through a statement issued by the Federation:
“Once again we make a plea, as has the majority of public opinion, in the sense that this labor reform project does not suit the country, since rather than generating new jobs, it destroys them, as also stated by the Bank of the Republic coinciding with Fenalco, that could be around 450 thousand jobs affected. We reiterate our call to #DefendamosElEmpleo, always respecting democratic regulations”, said the executive in a Fenalco release published this morning.
Cabal reported defects in the processing of the labor reform report in the Seventh Commission of the House of Representatives
In addition to the effects estimated by the Banco de la Republica, Cabal Sanclemente said that yesterday, in the Seventh Commission of the House of Representatives, the congressmen reached the quorum required for the approval of the labor reform report with “suspicious games”.
#Comunicado l Sospechosas “jugaditas” para generar quórum revivieron el trámite de la reforma laboral en la comisión séptima de la Cámara.
— Fenalco Nacional (@FenalcoNacional) June 16, 2023
Sorprende el trámite legislativo dado hoy a la Reforma Laboral por la forma tan extraña como se logró armar el quórum. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/hnQlHnzI5M
The president of Fenalco referred to the sudden decision of two representatives to the House of Representatives, who with their votes allowed the approval of the text of the labor reform bill yesterday afternoon.
On the one hand, the representative of the Conservative Party for the department of Guaviare, Jorge Quevedo, who was present at the meeting “to approve some impediments presented by representatives of the opposition, which in the end led to his immediate suspension from the party for disregarding the agreed position”, explained Fenalco.
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With this movement, there were 14 representatives to the Chamber of Deputies qualified to vote, among them nine who are part of the bench of the national government, continues the explanation of the Federation of Traders.
On the other hand, the liberal representative for the department of Antioquia, María Eugenia Lopera, voted in favor of the text of the labor reform, “despite the order of the head of her party, the former president César Gaviria”, continues the Fenalco report.
“This series of ‘surprising’ facts can vitiate the process of the labor reform. […] This cannot be the procedure for a reform as important as the labor reform. Little games like these are not consistent with the principle of good faith enshrined in the Constitution”, Cabal emphasized.
Status of the labor reform process
Yesterday, June 15, the positive report of the bill “Labor for Change” was approved in the first debate in the Seventh Commission of the House of Representatives. The report was approved with 9 votes in favor and 5 against. In the process, 8 articles were added to the text.
The bill was filed by the National Government last March 16.
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