Brussels, 09/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) has attacked Member States of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that "deliberately prevent the central theme of workers rights" from the Doha Development Agenda. The Ministerial conference in Cancun, according to the union, should conclude with an assertion of the "priority of human and workers' rights" or see the, "vicious and downward spiral that leads to a continued lowering in standards at work, given that governments are engaged in fierce competition with each other to gain foreign investment by proposing the cheaper labour, with tax and other incentives". The ICFTU on Monday published a report on this subject and considers that free trade zones clearly illustrate, "the exploitation engendered by current globalisation". Between 1975--2000 the number of these zones has increased from 79 to 3,000. Investments are "unstable, highly likely to leave the country at the 'drop of a hat' if a cheaper and more docile labour can be found elsewhere". Companies do not pay taxes and their workers "live in miserable conditions and are often deprived of medical care, education and even the more elementary public services", notes the report, entitled ""Free Trade Zone: symbols of Exploitation and Obstacles of Development", which is available at the following address: http: //http://www.icftu.org.