"Governor, we've sacrificed. And we've now reached our limit. We cannot, and will not, allow you to use us as pawns in your political power game," writes SEIU Local 1000 President Yvonne Walker in a letter to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger concerning the California union's contract deal and latest budget proposal. The deal -- which includes some concessions -- is now stalled by Republicans in the legislature.

The Governor's proposal seeks to pile on an additional 5 percent pay reduction or fourth furloughed work day for more than 230,000 state workers. The three furlough days per month state workers are already faced with amounts to a roughly 14 percent loss in pay for state workers. Add on 5 percent, and CA's state workers would lose nearly 20 percent of their income.

The letter Local 1000 President Walker delivered to the Governor on Friday afternoon informs Schwarzenegger that the state workers will not take the Governor's threats lying down. "When we negotiated one furlough day monthly, a wage freeze, and other cost saving changes, we were standing up for state services. While we will continue to battle for quality public services, we are now standing up for ourselves as well. We will fight for a common sense budget." (Read President Walker's letter to the governor here).

Last week, Local 1000's Council voted unanimously authorizing the union's officers to seek member support for concerted actions up to and including a strike to protect our members' pay, benefits and job security.