The statistic-laden report, “Hard Times Ahead: the Future of Work in Minnesota,” paints a dismal picture of pay, benefits and working conditions at “poverty wage” jobs.

A bipartisan effort led by the Coalition for Impartial Justice is proposing a system of judicial review and retention elections to avoid the highly charged, politically explosive contests common in Wisconsin, Texas and other states.

The cause of immigration reform has led Bill Blazar a bit outside his organization’s usual comfort zone. The second-in-command at the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce has been with the organization for two decades, but his position advocating in favor of comprehensive immigration reform in Washington, D.C. represents the first time he’s undertaken a major role on a federal issue.

Gov. Mark Dayton, labor activists and House members made an appearance at the Minnesota State Fair on Tuesday to renew a push to raise the state's minimum wage from $6.25 per hour to $9.50 by 2015.

Union leaders say they are moving full speed ahead with their legislative agenda this year, despite recent comments from Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk that many issues on their wish list will not pass this session.

Broad coalition led by TakeAction Minnesota won by making the most of modestly funded drive.

For better or worse, Michael Brodkorb was back on the campaign trail last week. This time, however, the former GOP attack dog, deputy Republican Party chair and Senate communications guru who helped mastermind the 2010 GOP takeover of the chamber has materialized in a glossy pink and blue mailer that’s being used to attack Republicans.

Pam Wolf is not easily deterred. She first ran for the Legislature in 2004, losing a House race to incumbent DFL Rep. Connie Bernardy by 13 percentage points. Two years later, Wolf took on DFL Sen. Don Betzold, losing that time by 9 percentage points.

On Tuesday night, roughly 100 people gathered at Maplewood City Hall to hear a debate on the proposed constitutional amendment requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls.

As adversaries in the battle over a proposed same-sex marriage ban continue to raise and move around six-figure sums on a regular basis, the forces arrayed on both sides of the voter photo ID ballot question are going begging.