Labor Minister states there is consensus to approve Labor Reform

The Minister of Labor, Eddy Olivares, assured this Monday that significant progress has been made in the process of reforming the Labor Code, and that there is already consensus on several of the points that previously generated objections among business unions.

Olivares explained that work has been underway to resolve the observations presented by the business sector, and that efforts are currently focused on ensuring that all previously agreed-upon issues are correctly incorporated into the final project.

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“Now what it’s about is fundamentally taking into account everything that was agreed upon, any type of slippage that may have occurred or topic not incorporated, precisely the conversation is about that,” declared the official. Among the most relevant aspects already agreed upon, the minister mentioned the bonus for workers in Free Zones and the creation of the figure of the conciliator judge. Olivares also highlighted the political will of the main actors in the legislative system to move forward with this reform.

“There is a will from all actors, and especially from the Senate of the Republic, in the person of its president Ricardo de los Santos, as well as from the Chamber of Deputies, represented by Alfredo Pacheco,” he indicated.

Both chambers would be ready to meet and approve the reform as soon as it is approved in a second reading in the Senate, with the aim of it being enacted before the end of the current legislature.