16 January, 2000Three hundred workers lose their jobs as Makonka Electronics closes plant in Malaysia.

16 January, 2000The Australian multinational BHP (Broken Hill Proprietary) has changed its tune, from one of a "cooperative approach with the unions" to that of assaulting workers' rights.

12 January, 2000An IMF mission to India observes the acute difficulties facing workers in the ship-scrapping sector and says it is imperative global action be taken to ensure removal of dangerous substances before ships are sold for scrapping.

12 January, 2000Toni Ferigo, from Turin, Italy, has joined the IMF Secretariat in Geneva.

29 June, 2000Several subsidiaries of MNCs in Malaysia back down on forcing employees to work while standing.

29 June, 2000The ILO's office in Moscow reports an official trade union complaint against the Belarus government.

28 June, 2000The OECD has adopted revised global rules for multinational enterprises covering, amongst others, labour issues.

21 June, 2000Over 300 delegates of 195 IMF affiliates from 101 countries, representing 23 million metalworkers worldwide, assure Indonesian and Malaysian unions of full support.

21 June, 2000Speakers in the IMF Central Committee discussion on liberalised global trade insist on core labour standards in rules on trade.

20 June, 2000The Central Committee votes on new Executive Committee member.