São Paulo, 4/15/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - According to the president of the CUT, João Felício, the important thing about the meeting yesterday with president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was that they, the union leaders, were able to express their opinions on tax and social security reforms, something that had never happened before.

Felício said the CUT favored a ceiling of 20 minimum wages (R$4,800) for retirement payments, and said that the union does not want taxes levied on retirement benefits of less than that. (AB)