State Worker columnist Jon Ortiz probes the significance of the exemptions the governor allowed in his new furlough order. In the past, the governor has said furloughs should be applied fairly across the board. For Sacramento businesses, the return of furloughs will mean another economic hit.

From The State Worker blog: State workers are getting only a month's reprieve from furloughs. Gov. Schwarzenegger has ordered three-day furloughs to begin again Aug. 1. They'll end when the Legislature passes the budget. Unlike the previous furlough order, the new order exempts employees who work for departments that collect revenue. The governor ordered the furloughs after state Controller John Chiang said he would begin issuing IOUs in August or September if the budget doesn't pass. Read the governor's order GAAS:472:10.

A Sacramento Superior Court judge has pushed back the date that attorneys will argue about minimum wage for state employees, guaranteeing full pay at least through September.

In a strong endorsement for Prop. 25, a ballot measure that would end the two-thirds requirement for passing the budget and raising taxes, two editors who rarely agree take the same side. The major reason: A majority vote would almost certainly end the budget gridlock that wreaks havoc on state workers and nearly everyone else. It also is the responsible thing to do. ACSS supports this measure.

The State Worker column reports today on the costs of the minimum-wage fight between Gov. Schwarzenegger and state Controller John Chiang. Has Schwarzenegger won by losing?

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown, whom ACSS is supporting, is playing defense against Meg Whitman's money in this campaign. He is being forced to wait until after Labor to mount his most aggressive campaign. You can help: Click on our "Politics" button at left to access an online form to volunteer to campaign for Brown.

Read the full story on the court ruling that denied Gov. Schwarzenegger's request to force the state controller to pay state workers minimum wage. The order gives state workers at least two more months of full pay. The story links to Judge Marlette's ruling.

In a much-needed turn of good news for state workers, Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Patrick Marlette today denied Gov. Schwarzenegger's request to compel the state controller to pay state workers the federal minimum wage. A hearing on the issues is scheduled for July 26, and later in Augus. State Controller John Chiang has said he would not issue minimum-wage checks unless a court order to do so was issued before the payroll deadline of July 22.

AB 1699, the bill that would guarantee state workers would be paid in full during the budget negotiations, passed the Senate Appropriations Committee today 6-1. All six votes were Democrats. One Republican abstained and Sen. Mimi Walters voted no. Now the bill moves to the Senate floor, where it needs a two-thirds vote to pass.

State Worker columnist Jon Ortiz interviews state Controller John Chiang on his refusal to pay minimum wage. "Our issue with the governor's pay order is that it's vague," Chiang said.

The State Worker column this morning tracks the "whiff of labor unrest" being detected among state employees. Although state workers may be "tapped out," beware of sickouts, the column warns. A minimum-wage hearing starts Friday in Superior Court.

CalPERS is reporting an 11.4 percent return on preliminary estimates for the one-year period ending June 30. The upturn for the 2008-09 fiscal year exceeded CalPERS' long-term annualized earnings target.

SEIU Local 1000 last Friday made a contact proposal that asked for 5 percent COLAs in 2012 and 2015 and some pension plan reductions. It didn't include an increase in retirement contribution. Now DPA must respond.

State Worker blog: The California Association of Professional Scientists and the Professional Engineers in California Government have filed a motion to be a party to the minimum-wage lawsuit, both on Controller John Chiang's side.

Mike Carbahal of Chapter 504 has started a chapter Web site you might want to check out, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CHAPTER504/. This is a great way to enhance communications within the chapter and between chapters, as our Strategic Plan is requring.