REGINA - The Saskatchewan government has passed a labour act melding 12 pieces of legislation into one omnibus law that allows for more flexible work hours, shortens the qualifying time for parental leave and ensures disabled people can't be paid less than minimum wage. But the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour says it's rife with loose ends, waters down current labour standards and undermines bargaining rights.

DHAKA, Bangladesh - Bangladesh's military is ending its search for bodies in the wreckage of an eight-story garment factory building that collapsed last month because no more victims are expected to be found, officials said Monday. Also Monday, the government agreed to allow the country's garment workers to form trade unions without permission from factory owners as part of growing concessions for industry reform following the building collapse.

By Atossa Araxia Abrahamian NEW YORK (Reuters) - A mother's hypothetical pay fell for the second year in a row, dragged down by stagnating wages in the United States, according to insurance information website Insure.com. A mom in 2013 was worth $59,862 per year, down from $60,182 in 2012 and $61,436 in 2011, Insure.com said, calculating the salary based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. This was the third year Insure.com released its data just ahead of Mother's Day.

South Africa is girding itself for a fresh round of labour unrest as collective wage negotiations get underway, with the country facing a tough challenge to avoid a repeat of last year's deadly strikes. This month will see a series of sectoral wage contracts come up for discussion, kicking off South Africa's "strike season" which often sees both the employed and the jobless take to the streets. With the country experiencing tough economic times and unions emboldened by hefty wage increases granted last year to end strikes, analysts predict difficult months ahead.