McDonald's fought a losing battle for years to keep 'McJobs' - generally defined as low-wage, insecure, dead-end work with no benefits - out of dictionaries. The new McJobs report should contribute to adding 'systematic rights abuses' to the current definition.

Phillips Seafood Restaurants is one of the oldest and largest seafood restaurant chains in the United States. The associated Phillips Foods, the world's largest processor of crabmeat which also produces a full line of fish products, relies on 17 overseas plants, because US stocks are exhausted due to overfishing and pollution. So the company claims to be promoting sustainable fisheries. In fact it relies on disposable jobs - but Indonesian workers are fighting back and winning support for their struggle.

With strong support from members and the community, Citra Mina workers in General Santos, Philippines have beaten back company pressure to end their factory picket. On April 22, the Mayor's office issued an order for the union to cease picketing or face forcible removal. Over the next three days, union members and supporters mobilized continuously to show their support for the striking workers and their struggle. The Mayor's office then rescinded its order - and apologized for its "error".

On May 24 the IUF-affiliated Agriculture and Farmers Federation of Myanmar (AFFM) and Food Allied Workers became the first national union federation representing agricultural and plantation workers and farmers to be recognized in Myanmar.

Agricultural workers and farmers from nine states/regions in Myanmar participated in a two-day IUF training seminar on herbicides, focusing on paraquat and glyphosate. Members of the IUF-affiliated AFFM studied the severe harm paraquat causes to health and the environment. Paraquat - often sold in containers labelled only in Thai and Chinese - is used extensively in Myanmar on major food crops.

Golden Dodges, a new report from the IUF, Public Services International (PSI) and the North American Service Employees International Union (SEIU), reveals how McDonald's, the world's largest fast food company as well as the largest franchiser, has methodically exploited the tax system to avoid billions in taxes.

The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and hazardous substances has said he is
"deeply troubled" by obstacles to the listing of asbestos and paraquat under the Rotterdam Convention.

Farm Labor Organizing Committee president Baldemar Velasquez told shareholders and board members of British American Tobacco, at their annual general meeting on 29 April, to stop human rights abuses on tobacco farms in the United States.

The Citra Mina Workers Union and their national centre SENTRO commemorated Workers Memorial Day with the families of fishing vessel workers declared lost at sea. Over the past two years, at least 17 workers on vessels fishing for the Citra Mina Group are known to be missing or dead and the union continues to investigate other cases.