Posted on Tue, Jun. 03, 2008

Mark this date on your calender: June 24. That's when Democrats will go to the polls for a summer runoff to pick a party nominee for state labor commissioner. Then mark this date: Thursday, June 5. That's when early voting begins.

Wait, don't yawn. This is a critical vote. It's a shame it has to be decided at a time when voter interest and participation are certain to be notoriously low. The state urgently needs a change of perspective in the labor department, and that will require a change of face. It's supposed to be a watchdog agency with sharp teeth. But under incumbent Republican Cherie Berry's leadership it has cozied up to business and industry at the expense of worker safety.

That's one reason why the Democratic nominee needs to be a strong leader. Voters must pick between the top two vote-getters in the primary, and they face a confident choice. John Brooks, 71, is a former labor commissioner ousted by voters in 1992 after the state's worst industrial accident – a chicken plant fire in Hamlet that killed 26.

He has proposed solid reforms, but voters would be better-served seeking a commissioner who is fresh to the office. Mary Fant Donnan, 51, a program officer for the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, is a smart, capable choice. She served as director of research and policy for the Department of Labor under former Commissioner Harry Payne, the most active labor commissioner the state has had.

Ms. Donnan says she would use quality, timely data about injuries and risks when making resource decisions. She lists her priorities as stronger enforcement of worker safety rules and making the department more consumer friendly. She says she would work to resurrect the state's ergonomics standards, requiring employers to address hazards likely to cause repetitive motion injuries. She favors preventive education programs for employers.

Another asset: She is measured and precise in her demeanor and thinking, and she brings a big-picture view that would be beneficial in shaping labor department policy.

People who work for a living should consider the stakes in this runoff. An Observer investigation into poultry processing in the Carolinas uncovered how lax oversight and loopholes in rules have allowed that dangerous industry to exploit workers and underreport crippling injuries. Yet her department's appalling record did not bother Ms. Berry, the incumbent. "We're going to keep doing what we're doing," she said. That's unacceptable. A change in leadership is essential. Choosing a Democratic nominee is the first step. We enthusiastically recommend Mary Fant Donnan for labor commissioner.