The plenary of the Colombian Senate approved the 77 articles related to the labor reform proposed by president Gustavo Petro in support of the country's labor force. teleSUR
00:00The Colombian Senate approves the labor reform despite opposition from right-wing sectors.
00:05Now it remains to be seen what will happen with the popular consultation promoted by the executive.
00:11Our colleague Enanto Bas gives us the details.
00:18With a vote of 57 parliamentarians in favor and 31 against,
00:22the Colombian Senate Plenary approved the articles that made up the labor reform,
00:26whose discussion in its fourth and final debate made clear the oppositions of the opposition benches belonging to the right-wing parties that decided not to report it.
00:36For workers, progress was made in labor rights that had been lost after the implementation of regressive measures imposed during the government of Álvaro Uribe Vélez.
00:46There is the issue of Sundays and public holidays, which were reduced by 75% in pay for work on those days,
00:57but not returned to 100% as it was before 2002,
01:00and the working nature of apprenticeship contract, a very important issue for working youth,
01:05so much that we talked about them and the opportunities they have for a better future,
01:09and yet we denied them their minimum rights.
01:12But on this occasion they will be guaranteed their full rights as a work contract like any other,
01:16which does have a fixed term for their position.
01:19It was also agreed that the recognition and payment of overtime for night work will be changed from 10pm to 7pm,
01:28which is one of the most significant elements and key achievements of these projects.
01:32In a session marked by limited debate and participation by members of the government coalition benches,
01:39who support the structural changes to the articles and whose position was decisive in the elimination of some articles on federal to the working class.
01:50In the fourth Senate committee, Angelica Lozano and the speakers introduced some extremely regressive measures,
02:01such as hourly work, articles 37 and 38, which we managed to eliminate,
02:07as well as a four-day work week for three days of rest,
02:10which meant that workers were not paid for overtime, and we managed to eliminate all of that.
02:16We went to a clean vote because the agreements that were being made, the consultations that were being made, were broken.
02:23Although this represents progress in terms of justice and dignity in the workplace,
02:30some legislators allied with the executive branch are disappointed that they were unable to include formal provisions
02:36in the contracts of cargo transport drivers, who are waiting for the text to be reconciled in both the Chamber and the Senate,
02:43so that their demands can be met. In addition, the contract for agricultural workers was not recognized.
02:49The Agricultural Employment Control recognized in the Substantive Labor Code in 2000 has not been restored.
03:02The reform promoted by Mr. Álvaro Uribe Vélez dismantled many rights, including the Agricultural Employment Control.
03:10Today in Colombia, there are thousands of workers on the farms of large agricultural companies who work as they laborers.
03:17Now the approved texts from both the Chamber and the Senate must be reconciled for presidential signature and to become law.
03:24Analysts assured that thanks to the imperus of the popular consultation containing the key points of the labor reform,
03:31progress was made in this area by the Senate.
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