A union official has said that California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is ordering unpaid furloughs for most state workers until a state budget is adopted.

The Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday that the order, which had not yet been made public, would apply to about 200,000 state employees but would exempt those who belong to bargaining units that have agreed to new contracts providing for pension reductions. The newspaper, citing a public employees' union official who had been briefed on the matter, said affected workers would be required to take three unpaid days leave each month, the functional equivalent of a 14 percent pay cut, until state lawmakers agree on a budget.

In violation of the state Constitution, the previous budget expired June 20 and the state has gone 28 days without a budget.

State workers were subjected to furloughs during the previous budget year, beginning last summer, after courts ruled the governor has the authority to implement them.

The Times further said that the new furloughs are to take effect during the second week in August. (With Inputs from Agencies)