Iraqi Shiite leader balks at major changes to constitution News
Iraqi Shiite leader balks at major changes to constitution

[JURIST] Abdul Aziz Hakim [Wikipedia profile], leader of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq and the country’s most powerful Shiite politician, said Wednesday that a new Iraqi government dominated by religious Shiites elected in the December 15 parliamentary vote [JURIST report] would not “change the essence” of the new Iraqi constitution [JURIST news archive] despite a compromise with Sunni Arabs [JURIST report] before the constitutional referendum in October [JURIST report] that purported to allow revisions. The deal among Sunni, Shiite and Kurd leaders allowed parliament to review constitutional amendments up to four months after the new government ascended. A spokesman for the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution confirmed that while "some points or details" of the constitution may be negotiated, the "main principles … cannot be touched." The Washington Post has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Acts of Union creates Great Britain

On May 1, 1707, the two Acts of Union went into effect, implementing the Treaty of Union and thereby uniting the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The Union with Scotland Act was passed by the Parliament of England in 1706, and the Scottish Parliament promulgated the Union with England Act. Learn more about the Acts of Union from the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

First US trade union formed

On May 1, 1794, the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers (shoemakers) was organized in Philadelphia to negotiate wages for its members, becoming the first trade union in the United States.

Learn more about the history of the labor movement in the United States, and visit the website of the AFL-CIO, the federation of America's labor unions, representing more than 13 million workers.