California State Workers Reach Deal On Forced Furloughs

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/10516

A new deal with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will allow some state workers to choose which day of the month they are furloughed. Jesse Russell reports:

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been embroiled in battles with the labor unions representing the state’s workers. In an attempt to close a budget gap the Governor had ordered state workers to take two work days off a month without pay. Schwarzenegger ordered those days be the first and third Friday’s of each month, but a new agreement with the Service Employees International Union will allow some workers to choose the days they are furloughed. The new agreement, which applies to roughly 95,000 state workers, will only mandate one day per month be taken off and employees will be afforded the right to choose the day. In exchange the workers will sacrifice Lincoln’s Birthday and Columbus Day as official paid holidays. In exchange workers will receive two additional paid personal days. If approved by workers the new contract will run until June of 2010. The agreement does not eliminate the Governor’s power to demand more furlough days.