Largest State Workers Union Ratifies Furlough Deal

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California's largest state workers union has ratified a furlough agreement to reduce employees' pay by roughly 5 percent for a year.

The Service Employees International Union Local 1000 announced Tuesday that 66 percent of voting members supported the agreement for 12 unpaid days of leave.

Unlike past furloughs that imposed unpaid days off, employees will have some flexibility to schedule their time off.

Local 1000 president Yvonne Walker says the agreement with Gov. Jerry Brown not only represents a compromise, but achieves some of the union's goals. It sets up a task force focused on reducing private vendor contracts. The administration also agreed to eliminate student assistants and some retired state workers who come back to work for the state.

Brown initially proposed moving the state to a four-day workweek.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.