Hundreds of workers from the Galician tuna and seafood canning industry in Vilagarcía de Arousa gathered on the streets on Saturday to demand their rights. It includes an increase in wages, a rights-based professional classification system, a reduction in working hours, improvements in workplace health and safety conditions, and concrete action to protect women workers’ rights. Major tuna companies such as Bolton, Jealsa, and Nauterra are headquartered in Galicia. The protest was organized by the trade union Confederación Intersindical Galega (CIG).

The unions CCOO and UGT, which were supposed to take part in the protests, withdrew last week after a mediation meeting with SIMA (Interconfederal Mediation and Arbitration Service) in Madrid to first review the proposed changes to the labor agreement. However, this did not sit well with many workers, who decided to go ahead with the protests on Saturday. They claimed the agreement reached during the mediation was a “backroom deal that does not address the main demands of the workforce,” reported Spanish news sites.

Tri-Union Seafoods recently warned consumers that a third party, whose name was not revealed, inadvertently released quarantined tuna products that were recalled last February. The items, Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil and Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Sea Salt, were distributed to several outlets of Meijer, Giant Food, Safeway, Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions across the US. “Consumers should not use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled. Consumers feeling unwell should seek immediate medical attention,” read a Tri-Union statement.

The products were recalled last year because they were likely contaminated with Clostridium botulinum bacteria due to a manufacturing defect of the lid, according to Tri-Union, US subsidiary of Thai Union. The recall involved products of the Genova and Van Camp’s brands and private labels from retailers H-E-B and Trader Joe’s sold in several states, including Washington D.C. and New York.

Last week, the Maldivian government announced it will distribute 118,000 tuna cases for Ramadan in a bid to support domestic tuna processors and ensure food supply to households during the festive season. A spokesperson for the state-run Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) stated that production of the cans is on track, and the full volume would be produced by this week. According to him, logistical measures have been taken to get the cases with 48 cans to families across the atoll. Officials also believe that the initiative can ensure a social safety net and create a market outlet that keeps domestic processing lines turning during a season of heavy retail demand, reported Prism News.

Last year, during Ramadan, President Mohamed Muizzu introduced an initiative to give every household a box of canned tuna. More than 108,801 cases were distributed in 2025. The Finance Ministry confirmed later that year that it had spent MVR 79 million (USD 5.11 million) on the initiative. The one-month Ramadan begins on February 17 and will conclude on March 19.