UNT disagrees with Fox's unemployment figures.

MEXICO CITY, Jul 14, 2003 (El Economista - Empresas y Negocios/Corporate Mexico by Internet Securities, Inc. via COMTEX) -- Francisco Hernandez Juarez, the president of the National Workers Union (UNT), said that unemployment figures announced by President Vicente Fox "are far from reality in Mexico."President Vicente Fox recently insisted that unemployment levels were not significant because so far in 2003 they have risen from 2.6% to 2.8%.Hernandez said that figures from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) show that so far under Fox's administration some 150,000 jobs have been lost."I do not know what the president is referring to, but Social Security, which seems to be one of the more consistent indicators, shows clearly that unemployment is not dropping and the economy is not growing. The mandate from the electorate is that the economic policy must be altered," said the union leader.Fox reported that, over the last two years, the Economically Active Population (EAP) of 42.1 million increased by 1 million people, while real salaries received increased by more than 10%. Fox also said that a new culture of labor and employment protection must be consolidated and his government has representative, democratic and committed unions, which are a fundamental ally for this aim.

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