According to the Ministry of Labor, the criteria for living and mobile wages will be studied at this negotiation table.
The Minister of Labor, Antonio Sanguino, announced that On December 1, the discussion to define the 2026 minimum wage will officially begin. The official indicated that he hopes that this discussion will take place in an environment of dialogue and shared responsibility between employers and workers.
“Let’s hope it’s not a bidding. That it’s a sincere discussion, with the businessmen’s hearts in their hands and with a sense of responsibility with the country and with the rights of workers”, the minister pointed out.
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Sanguino assured that the Government will reach the Concertation Commission with the aim of improving income of the workers, as according to him has happened during the current administration.
Proposal
The minister explained that the discussion will not be limited to the percentage increase in the minimum wage, as has been usual, but will also be oriented towards the criteria of the living and mobile wage, a concept promoted by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and incorporated into the Political Constitution of Colombia.
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“The living wage is one that guarantees a worker and his family access to basic consumer goods that allow them to live with dignity,” he said. He pointed out that the atmosphere with business associations hopes to improve after the first call. “Some recently disclosed opinions should not be interpreted as a generalized position.
I hope it is not an advance opinion, even using figures that the Government has not made public knowledge,” he stressed. Sanguino maintained that the Executive will come to the table backed by official data from the Ministry of Finance and the Dane, especially with regard to inflation and productivity, key variables for calculating the increase.
Likewise, he highlighted that the Government continues to monitor the evolution of inflation for the remainder of the year and the projections for 2026, so that the final decision contribute to improving working conditions, boosting the economy and strengthening the demand for goods and services.
Regarding the proposal of a minimum wage of $1,800,000 mentioned by the Minister of the Interior, Armando Benedetti, Sanguino was emphatic that this discussion has not yet taken place in the Government.
“You have to ask Minister Benedetti that. Until now we have not installed the commission. We installed that commission on December 1,” he responded.. He also recalled that the Concertation Commission is chaired by the Ministry of Labor and has the participation of the Minister of Finance, the director of Dane and other institutional actors.
“The last word on this matter and on the Government’s proposal rests with the President of the Republic,” he concluded.
Source: Integrated Information System
