California Workers Sue Governator

Unions representing California state employees are suing Arnold Schwarzenegger over his attempt to force them to take unpaid time off, the Los Angeles Times reports. Schwarzenegger issued an executive order last week ordering all employees to take two unpaid days off each month, in an effort to corral the state budget. But the unions say Schwarzenegger needs the Legislature’s approval for such a move.

The Democratic-led Legislature rebuffed Schwarzenegger’s requests for that approval. The governor will meet with Democratic leaders today to discuss budget issues, which have reached crisis point—the state controller says California will run out of cash by February. “Without action by the Legislature and the governor, we literally are weeks away from a meltdown of state government,” he said. (More Arnold Schwarzenegger stories.)