In the short time the labor reform has been sanctioned by Gustavo Petro’s government, the balance in the Commerce sector points to a destruction of employment.
This was warned by the president of Fenalco, Jaime Alberto Cabal, By anticipating one of the conclusions of a study that will present the guild Within the framework of the National Merchants Congress, which will be held this Thursday and Friday, September 25 and 26, in Medellín.
You may be interested: Immediate Payment System Bre-B would reduce the use of debit and credit cards
As he explained, it is a great survey that does not investigate businessmen of the sector on the measures they will adopt in the face of the new labor legislation, but on the decisions they have already made regarding the management of their personnel plants.
“The results are impressive: everyone leads to employment destruction,” said the union leader when presenting the agenda of the event, which will also serve to commemorate the 80 years of Fenalco.
Jaime Alberto Cabal Sanclemente, President of Fenalco.
JAIME ALBERTO CABALLAME
Cabal added that, as has happened in the years that the current government has been, neither President Petro nor his officials will attend the union meeting in the Antioquia capital.
In his words: “This year we do not invite them, based on the base that there is no interlocution with the government. We are already thinking not the page that is going to happen, but in the open book that comes,” in reference to the change of government that will be given in 2026.
And, in that line, Cabal pointed out that this year they will not participate in the table for the granting policies and labor policies, in which the increase in the minimum wage of the next is discussed, taking into account that from the government there is already an intention, based on the budget project, to increase the basic salary of 11%, without taking into account the other factors that are part of this annual discussion.
In this sense, several analysts such as the Research Team of Banco de Bogotá, already anticipate that the minimum wage could reach $ 1’600,000 next year.
I could read: Colombia, ‘At the gates of hell’? The panorama faced with the elections
Fenalco brings together more than 18,000 members from different sectors, of which 93% are MSMEs, in addition to 350,000 associated neighborhood stores.
When presenting the program of the Congress, the president of the guild reiterated his call to the Congress of the Republic so that he does not approve the new tax reform, warning that this initiative “It has neither feet nor head.”
Merchants are concerned about the impact of a new tax reform.
Istock
“Beyond reviewing tax tax, the underlying point is that most Colombians do not understand why a government that has not executed in a high percentage, which has waste resources and has increased bureaucracy, now intends to pay more taxes to cover those holes,” He said Cabal, referring to the underlying budget presented by the Executive by 2026.
Fenalco, emphasized, He has recommended that Congress not approve the project “because it is disastrous for the country. Congressmen must tune into citizens and less with the government.”
The Congress Agenda
The National Congress of Business Merchants 2025, which will be held in Medellín, hopes to gather about 2,500 attendees from all sectors of organized trade in the country. The event will be held under the slogan “Building the hope and the new course of Colombia.”
The two -day agenda will include the participation of National and foreign analysts, in addition to congressmen who will analyze the political, economic and security situation.
You may be interested: the minimum wage in Colombia by 2026 could be $ 1’600,000
There will also be space for presidential candidates to expose their visions. Among the special guests stand out Gregorio Eljach, Attorney General; Jorge Enrique Ibáñez, president of the Constitutional Court; Luis Alberto Álvarez Parra, President of the State Council; and Hernán Penagos, National Civil Status.
Constance Gómez Guasca
Economy and Business Writing
