BOGOTA (Reuters) -Colombia’s Senate on Tuesday approved a modified and much-debated labor reform bill, after President Gustavo Petro decreed a referendum to seek direct approval from voters for the initiative.
The bill, which includes measures to enshrine an eight-hour daytime work day, increase weekend and holiday pay and require social security payments from delivery app drivers, was approved by 57 lawmakers, while 31 opposed it.
Petro decreed the 12-question referendum last week, in a bid to force the Senate to vote on the reform before the end of its session on June 20 and in defiance of his political opposition, who say the vote would disregard institutional norms and threaten Colombia’s separation of powers.
Lawmakers in May rejected the referendum in a tight 49 to 47 vote and repeated that rejection on Tuesday, voting 52 against and 2 in favor.
The government has said it may call off the referendum if the approved reform is in line with its goals.
“The government is satisfied, we have managed, vote by vote, article by article, a new democratic, progressive labor legislation,” Labor Minister Antonio Sanguino said.
The approved reform will immediately increase wages for work conducted from 7 p.m. onward and gradually increase the surcharge for Sunday and holiday work through July 2027.
Under the law, workers for popular delivery apps like Rappi, who are independent contractors, will be required to make social security contributions.
Meanwhile, the apps will be barred from demanding exclusivity from contractors and must provide human supervision of their algorithms.
Analysts’ estimates for increased labor costs as a result of the bill range from 6.8% to 35%.
A majority of the social and economic reforms promised by Petro – who was elected in 2022 – has been rejected by lawmakers.
Colombia will hold legislative and presidential elections in the first half of 2026. The next legislature session begins in July.
(Reporting by Carlos Vargas, additional reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta, writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Stephen Coates)
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