LABOR PAINS AHEAD

When we last encountered Peter Kirsanow, the Benesch Friedlander partner and U. S. Civil Rights Commissioner was leading the petition drive to reduce Cleveland City Council ward representation by two-thirds.

Now he's a member of the National Labor Relations Board.

Kirsanow, a senior specialist in labor law for a firm that advertises its skills in maintaining "union free workplaces", was named by the Bush Administration last Wednesday as a "recess appointment" to the body that's supposed to enforce workers' right to join unions and bargain collectively. This means he gets to occupy a seat and vote on Board decisions without confirmation by the Senate for at least the next year.

Hypothetically Speaking has a great rundown of the history and issues raised by Kirsanow's appointment.

The PD relegated the story to a squib in yesterday's "Inside Politics" column. But Alison Grant covered Kirsanow's nomination at some length several weeks ago.