Colombia’s largest trade union federation, the CUT, has given backing to government proposals that would enact a national referendum on social reform bills, which have faced intense opposition in the national congress. President Petro has suggested the general public should be given the definitive say on the future of the reforms, as his government fights to pass one of its flagship policies into law ahead of next year’s presidential election.
On 18 March, eight senators on a 14-person committee, including politicians from hard-right opposition parties, sank the labour reform in congress. This was despite major mobilisations in support of the government’s redistributive agenda taking place across Colombia, with one massive rally in Bogota’s Plaza Bolívar held directly outside the congress building while the vote took place. However, the outlook has grown pessimistic among those hoping Colombia may remedy woeful labour conditions and rights that are among the world’s poorest.
As the reform’s congressional defeat became clear, Petro announced the launch of a popular consultation process, which he aims to culminate with a referendum. On 25 March, one week after the congressional vote, Petro said key areas of consultation would include increased pay for overtime and setting a maximum working day. Public approval for the labour reform would increase pressure on legislators to pass it into law.
Other major reforms include healthcare, education and pensions, all of which contain articles to tackle inequality and expand access to essential services. So far, only the pensions reform has been approved, with at least one million retired people standing to benefit. The healthcare reform also faces major challenges, with one option for the government being to pass various of its articles via decree.
According to the CUT, the negative vote in congress had ‘sunk the aspirations of millions of workers who sought to recover their rights, deteriorated after decades of neoliberal and pro-business policies’. In support of the public referendum, the federation said that it ‘represents an opportunity for the citizenry to understand the interests at play. On one side, the defence of privileges of economic and oligarchic elites that control most of the congress. On the other, the struggle of the popular, democratic and progressive sectors that demand the changes Colombia needs.’
While there is widespread for the referendum proposal, a date has yet to be set.