Headlines for Wednesday, March 25, 2009

UK Inquiry to Examine Legality of Iraq War
The British government says it will hold an inquiry into the legality of the Iraq war – but not until July - after the bulk of its troops have been withdrawn. Naomi Fowler reports from London:

Low Wage Worker Complaints go Un-investigated
Complaints from low-wage-workers often go un-investigated by the Labor Department. A GAO report released today says the Labor Department's Wage and Hour division often closes cases when employers don’t return phone calls. An undercover investigation also found that the agency took longer than a year to respond to some complaints. When investigators filed a false child labor complaint it received no response after a 4-month wait. The report also found a division policy that instructs offices not to record unsuccessful consulations in its database.

Specter to Vote No on Employee Free Choice Act
The key GOP vote for a union-organizing bill is gone. Senator Arlen Specter says he’ll vote against the Employee Free Choice Act. The bill would allow workers to unionize when a majority of employees in their workplace sign cards in favor.  Labor organizers hope it will boost union membership. They’ve spent millions in lobbying lawmakers, and so have the corporations that oppose the bill. Without Specter’s vote, the GOP will likely filibuster the measure.

Student Farmworker Alliance to Target Campus Food Suppliers
A group that won better pay and working conditions for workers who pick tomatoes for fast food giants and supermarkets has launched a new campaign. This one targets food service industry giants who have multi-million dollar contracts to supply food to universities. Andalusia Knoll reports:

Fare Hike Approved in New York
In New York millions of people who use public transportation face a fare hike in the middle of a recession. The transit authority voted today to raise subway, bus and suburban train fares 20 to 30 percent. Abdulai Bah has more.