The negotiation of the minimum wage for 2026 advances between technical disagreements and mixed economic figures, while millions of workers.
The definition of minimum wage for 2026 In Colombia it takes place in a scenario marked by uncertainty, political pressure in the face of the presidential elections and the lack of consensus among the actors at the negotiation table. Government, unions and business associations are discussing the adjustment that will take effect starting next year, with the latent possibility that the increase will be determined by decree if an agreement is not reached.
Currently, the minimum wage is located at $1,423,500and its adjustment impacts not only those who accrue it directly, but millions of households, due to the indexation of rates, rents and services in the economy.
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Labor figures and economic context
According to data from National Administrative Department of Statistics (Dane)between January and October 2025, 23.71 million employed people were registered in the country. Of them, 2.40 million receive exactly the minimum wage, while 11.38 million earn less than that figure and 9.93 million receive higher incomes. Although minimum wage earners are a minority, the adjustment has transversal effects on national purchasing power.
On the macroeconomic front, the annual inflation It reached 5.51% in October 2025, exceeding previous projections. The Bank of the Republic estimates a closure close to 5.1%, which requires balancing the protection of real income with the containment of inflationary pressures. The productivityon the other hand, remains close to zero or in negative territory, which limits the margin for high increases.
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He labor marketHowever, it shows positive signs: unemployment fell to 8.1% in September, the lowest figure in more than two decades. However, the informality around 55%, evidencing structural fragility. He GDP It grew 2.5% in the second quarter and 3.6% in the third, driven by private consumption, industry and commerce.
Conflicting positions in the negotiation
The agreement began with an additional difficulty: Fenalco decided not to participate, altering the tripartite logic established by the Law 278 of 1996. The proposals on the table reflect strong divergences.
The CUT raised an increase in 16%; The Government proposed an increase close to 11%which would bring the minimum wage to around $1,580,000 without transportation assistance; while businessmen suggest an increase in 7.21%placing it at approximately $1,523,145.
For the economist Wilson Solano Rodríguezdirector of the Economics Program of the El Bosque Universityseveral proposals move away from the technical foundations. “An increase that does not dialogue with productivity and business capacity can reverse recent advances and expand informality,” he warned.
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The Government’s position and the political debate
The Minister of Labor, Antonio Sanguinoreiterated that the Executive seeks an increase above the inflationfollowing the line of recent years. He recalled that by 2025, with an inflation of 5.2%the minimum wage increased 9.5%allowing a real gain in workers’ income.
From the Congressthe reactions have been diverse. While some sectors highlight the positive impact of recent increases on the consumption and economic reactivation, others emphasize that the increases have not triggered even the unemployment nor inflation, but have strengthened the purchasing power of households.
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Will there be an announcement before Christmas?
The schedule is tight. After the initial expiration of the December 15the Government will study the reservations between the December 22 and 29. The law establishes the December 30 as the deadline to define the minimum wage, so, with or without agreement, millions of workers could know the increase before the end of the year, making it—or not—an expected “Christmas gift”.
