The Ministry of Labor defined the calendar for the negotiation of the SMLV

At the Ministry of Labor, the first meeting of the labor and wage policy negotiation table, in which employers, labor unions and the National Government will participate in order to define next year’s minimum wage, was held at the Ministry of Labor.

Although a first formal proposal for the adjustment of the minimum wage was expected from the unions and the central unions, they explained that it is not yet the time to launch it, since it will depend this year on more conservative studies on inflation, the dollar and the labor market.

Precisely up to September, the Consumer Price Index stood at 11.44%, while in the running year it was 10.08%. Now in the financial market they estimate that the year will end between 11% and 12%, “that is why we must still be prudent with the proposal that we want to discuss with the businessmen”, said Orjuela.

The calendar agreed upon by all parties is as follows:

November 30 and December 1, will be the meeting of the Productivity Subcommittee.

On December 5, the Minimum Wage Negotiating Table will be set up.

December 6, meeting of the Negotiation Table.

December 9, presentation of bids for the minimum wage increase.

December 12, 13, 14 and 15, discussion and agreement sessions.

December 15, first legal deadline for agreement on the minimum wage for 2023.

December 19, presentation of the parties’ written statement of reservations.

December 22, meeting of the Concertation Commission to study the reservations.

December 30, deadline for issuance of the minimum wage decree.

What is the progress of the negotiations?

Several estimates of what the increase for 2023 will be have already been put on the table.

Businessmen believe that it will be around 15% although, in any case, they expect that it will not exceed 13%. However, an increase of 20% driven by the National Government is not ruled out; however, the first signals launched by the Petro Government have not been so high. The Vice Minister of Finance, Diego Guevara, said that inflation is projected to range between 10% and 10.5% at the end of 2022, so the increase in the minimum wage should not be below that range. In that order of ideas, the salary would be between $1,110,000 and $1,150,000.

Source: La República.

https://www.larepublica.co/economia/empezo-la-primera-mesa-de-negociacion-del-minimo-entre-empresarios-y-sindicatos-3475868