( Spanish) — The Government of Colombia and public sector unions announced a salary increase of 14.62% It will come into effect from this week. This is a historic wage increase since the public sector collective bargaining began, according to President Gustavo Petro.
The Ministry of Labor reported last week that the increase for this year was achieved in negotiations with the union organizations and it will be retroactive from January of this year.
“This is the salary agreement that was reached for the public sector: 14.62% for the year 2023 retroactive to January 1 and for 2024 CPI 2023+1.6%. It is the largest increase in the history of the collective bargaining in the public sector Petro said on Twitter.
The percentage increase varies drastically from the salary increase for 2022, which was 7.26%, according to the Ministry of Labor.
This salary agreement benefits 1,324,000 workers, according to the Ministry of Labor.
With this increase, the salary of both President Gustavo Petro and Vice President Francia Márquez rises by just over 4 million pesos (about US$911 at current exchange rates).
The Administrative Department of the Civil Service stipulates the salary of both the president and the vice president of Colombia. By the year 2022, the vice president of Colombia received a monthly salary of $28,408,081 Colombian pesos (approximately US$7,300 at the current exchange rate). That salary is divided like this:
- Basic allowance: 7,783,819 Colombian pesos (about US$1,707 at current exchange rates)
- Representation Expenses: 13,806,323 Colombian pesos (around US$ 3,028 at current exchange rates)
- Management Premium: 6,817,939 Colombian pesos (approximately US$ 1,495 at current exchange rates)
With the increase, both Márquez’s salary will be 32,561,342 pesos, which at the current exchange rate would be US$ 7,143.
Currently the minimum wage in Colombia is 1,160,000 pesos, which is equivalent to about US$254.
At the end of 2022, the national government announced a 16% increase in the minimum wage, going from 1,000,000 pesos (about US$219 at current exchange rates) to 1,160,000 pesos (around US$254).
