The Mediterranean Group of public service unions
meeting together in Athens on 15^th May 2003 for their 24th reunion 

-                 strongly upholds the hard fight supported by UCAPSE, an integral part of the Mediterranean Group, and by Histadrut against the economic policy of reducing the public budget, services and rights of public service workers presented by Sharon’s government and by the Ministry of Finance, for the first time in Parliament without consulting the Trade Unions; 

-                 recognizes the great democratic victory of the Israeli Trade Union in the defence of the democratic rights of workers, primarily in the defence of collective bargaining and security for workers in public services; 

-                 recognizes, recalls and supports the great role the Israeli Trade Union Movement plays and can play in the Palestinian peace process and in the defence of workers’ rights, Israeli and Palestinian.

Athens, 15 May 2003

Cipro (KTMAS; PASYDY; SEK); Francia (CFDT-Interco); Grecia (ADEDY); Italia (CISL FPS; FNLE CGIL; FP CGIL); Malta (GWU); Portogallo (Sintap UGT; STAL); Spagna (FES CCOO; FSAP CCOO; FSP UGT); Tunisia (UGTT)