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Two of Hawaii’s biggest state employee unions have expressed concern over a proposal by the island state’s governor to furlough workers. Jesse Russell reports:

Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle is facing criticism from two union’s representing state workers regarding a proposal that would ask workers to take one day off each month without pay. According to the governor that island state would save $8 million each time workers take an unpaid day off. Hawaii, like most state’s in the union, is facing a financial crunch as the country copes with a recession. Under the proposal essential employees, such as hospital workers, would be excluded from the furlough. Hawaii is facing an estimated $1.8 billion shortfall and the state Council on Revenues says the budget needs to be cut by 25 percent over the next three years. A number of other states are also considering or implementing furlough measures. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is seeking to furlough state workers one day per month and drop two paid holidays from the calendar. Under the proposal, which needs to be approved by the California State Legislature, Columbus Day would be eliminated and the birthdays of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and George Washington would be combined into Presidents Day.