Wisconsin state Sen. Pam Galloway resigned today, ending, at least temporarily, the narrow majority held by Republicans there. Facing a recall election, Galloway cited family health issues as her reason for leaving the state legislature that has been the front lines in state Republican attacks on workers' collective bargaining rights. Her departure leaves the state Senate with 16 Democrats and 16 Republicans, with three of the remaining Republicans also facing recall elections. Galloway's recall will go forward, but Republicans will have to find a replacement candidate. If primaries are needed in recall elections for the senators—and for Gov. Scott Walker—they will be held May 8, with the general election June 5.

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Women must have the right to quality health care, including equal access to contraception, and have the ability to exercise that right regardless of where they work, the AFL-CIO Executive Council said today in a statement at its annual winter meeting in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

The council reaffirmed a 2001 Convention resolution promoting contraceptive equity in national health plans and in collective bargaining agreements, saying Wednesday that all women "should have universal access to quality health care at a reasonable cost that is not determined by political agendas."

America has a retirement security crisis—not a Social Security crisis, the AFL-CIO Executive Council said today in its annual winter meeting in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. And the answer is an across-the-board increase in Social Security benefits.

Half of working Americans have no retirement plan at all at work. Most of those who have a retirement plan are in 401(k) savings accounts where the median balances are less than $30,000. Taking into account all sources of income, it is estimated that the gap between what working Americans need to maintain their standard of living in retirement and what they actually have is $6.6 trillion.

A county judge in Wisconsin ruled today that the law backed by Gov. Scott Walker requiring voters to show photo ID is unconstitutional.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Dane County Circuit Judge Richard Niess blocked the law, saying it would unconstitutionally disenfranchise citizens who do not have photo IDs. Addressing claims that the photo ID law would prevent voter fraud, Niess wrote, "fraud is no more poisonous to our democracy than voter suppression."

Today, the U.S. Department of Justice blocked a Texas law requiring voters to present photo IDs, saying it would disproportionately affect Latinos. A letter from the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division to Texas election officials said data from the state show:

...a Hispanic registered voter is at least 46.5 percent, and potentially 120.0 percent, more likely than a non-Hispanic registered voter to lack this identification. Even using the data most favorable to the state, Hispanics disproportionately lack either a driver’s license or a personal identification card issued by DPS, and that disparity is statistically significant.

Genwal Resources, the Murray Energy company that operated the Crandall Canyon mine in Utah where six miners were killed in a 2007 wall collapse and three rescuers died in a second implosion, is pleading guilty to violating mine safety laws and will pay a $500,000 fine.

Today, the Oreo—the ubiquitous, best-selling cookie of the 20th century—marks 100 years on the market, crafted by the skilled hands of members of BCTGM (the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers) union.

Why shouldn’t teachers be paid more? Because the Bible says it would be wrong, according to an Alabama Republican state legislator.

The red-carpet glamor and prestige of the 18th annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards last night put the pre-Oscar spotlight on the cast of “The Help” in the theatrical motion picture category, with actors themselves choosing the best of the best.

Moments ago, the Indiana state House passed a “right to work” for less bill by 55 to 41. The issue now moves to the state Senate, where it’s expected to be taken up and voted on next week. The Senate previously passed a different version of the bill.