Activists that successfully sparked a union election for home health care workers in Minnesota must now pivot toward an August vote among their ranks on whether to actually form the bargaining unit, according to a timeline released by the state Bureau of Mediation Services.

The Harris v. Quinn decision will be felt in Minnesota, where two labor groups are working to organize both home care workers and in-home day care workers through a union election.

Both sides find ways to claim victory after the Supreme Court's ruling in the Illinois home care union case.

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.

Legislation allowing day care providers and personal care assistants to join labor unions was arguably the most contentious issue of the legislative session. The proposal was debated for 27 hours on the House and Senate floors, longer than any other bill considered in 2013. Ultimately, the proposal cleared the House by the narrowest of margins, 68-66, on the final day of session.

The path through any budget session leads to a negotiating table at which the governor and legislative leaders work out the most politically palatable taxing and spending deal they can muster. But the budget is never the only game in town. Before the session endgame gets played out, a network of committees will play host to various and sundry dramas involving policy issues before state government.

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

Senate District 59, which encompasses the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota and northeast Minneapolis, is home to one of the most concentrated DFL constituencies in Minnesota.

The political battle at the Capitol over the unionization of child care providers has been building for months, but on Monday it entered a new venue: Ramsey County District Court.

For nearly six years, union officials have been working to build support for representing the state’s in-home day care providers. Now that campaign will come down to a one-month effort to convince roughly 4,300 small business owners that union representation is in their best interest.