Veteran Official Fills Dayton Cabinet Labor Spot

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- A veteran public official re-enlisted Wednesday for the top post at the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, a job he held 20 years ago under the last Democratic governor.

Gov.-elect Mark Dayton named Ken Peterson to lead the agency that oversees workplace safety and worker's compensation laws. Peterson has held a range of jobs in state and city government, including high-level posts in two state agencies and in the attorney general's office.

Peterson served as Labor and Industry commissioner under then-Gov. Rudy Perpich. Dayton was also a member of that cabinet.

Peterson, 63, left a law firm where he was lobbying at the Capitol to rejoin state government because he considers the work of the agency to be critical.

"It's not the headline stuff, but it's the stuff that affects people's daily lives a lot," he said.

He said the department's biggest challenge will be controlling cost increases in workers' compensation, particularly medical costs associated with those benefits.

Peterson's selection was applauded by labor unions, a key political constituency for Dayton and other Democrats The Minnesota AFL-CIO sent out a news release praising the choice.

"Governor-elect Dayton has picked someone with the experience and compassion for working people necessary to lead this important department," said state AFL-CIO president Shar Knutson.

Peterson said his appointment shouldn't be viewed as payback for efforts by labor unions to get Dayton elected.

"I like to think I'm the best candidate for it for business and labor. I don't see it as a thank you," Peterson said. "I think I did a good job when I had this position 20 years ago, and I hope to do a good job now."

Peterson is the third person to join Dayton's mostly-empty cabinet. The governor-elect has yet to name leaders of his budget, tax, education, public safety and natural resources departments -- those that tend to get the most attention.

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