The Federation of Colombian Educators (FECODE), Colombia’s largest single-sector trade union organisation, has ended strike action after a modified education reform bill was shelved on 20 June. It followed ten days of national strikes that saw schools closed and a series of marches to protest a bill that FECODE argued did not reflect agreements it had previously reached with the progressive government of Gustavo Petro.
The decision by the Historic Pact bloc in congress to withdraw the bill demonstrates the government’s willingness to listen to its support base. At the same time, it emphasises the highly complex challenge of meeting the demands of that base with the need to navigate a congress in which the lack of a government majority necessitates pursuing agreements with other political groups.
Since the Petro government was elected two years ago, education has represented a core pillar of its social reforms package, alongside healthcare, labour rights and pensions. However, the reform proposals have encountered strong conservative opposition in congress which has impeded their progress and forced the government to moderate their content in places.
While FECODE has broadly supported President Gustavo Petro’s Historic Pact coalition, including during its election campaign, the federation declared its opposition to the bill after governing legislators reached a consensus with opposition politicians on 5 June. This required the government to accept a series of modifications to the bill. These changes were strongly rejected by FECODE, which announced a strike in response.
Principal among FECODE’s concerns was what it called ‘enabling the privatisation and marketing’ of the education system, an issue central to its trade union campaigning. It also cited the absence of curricular reform, a professional assessment system that imposes unfair demands on teachers and a lack of consultation with education unions. Such modifications, said FECODE, undermined the fundamental right to education that is a core tenet of the federation.
Once it became clear that the bill would not be passed, FECODE called off the strike. As the education ministry noted, a deadline of 20 June had generated pressure to reach a consensus quickly. A revised version of the reform will now likely be resubmitted in the next legislative period.