County Plan Urges Unpaid Workdays : Budget: Most of the 86,000 employees would be required to give up two days of wages each month under the proposal and receive compensation later. Union officials call it an undue hardship.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors began a week of difficult budget deliberations Monday by considering a proposal to force most of the 86,000 county employees to work two days each month without pay.

Chief Administrative Officer Richard B. Dixon, who made the proposal, said the “pay-suspension” program is necessary to help the county overcome a staggering $2.2-billion budget deficit. The program would save the county about $277.7 million next year, Dixon said.

“It is with regret that we have to look at (cutting) our payroll,” Dixon said, adding that the proposal was the only alternative to massive layoffs. “To save the same amount of money, we would have to lay off 8,500 employees. At this moment, drastic actions are unavoidable.”

Union officials criticized the proposal as an undue hardship on county workers. Labor representatives are expected to spend much of this week in private meetings with county officials in an effort to reach a compromise.

“We recognize the seriousness of the fiscal crisis and we’re perfectly willing to sit down with Mr. Dixon and try to find solutions,” said David Baker of the Service Employees International Union Local 600, which represents about half of the county work force.

“What we’re not willing to do is to take all the hits and have the budget balanced on the backs of our members,” Baker said.

Further complicating the deliberations is the budget impasse in Sacramento, where legislators seem certain to approve massive cuts in social service programs administered by the county with state funds. For the first time in recent memory, county officials must adopt a budget while uncertain about how much state funding they will receive.

“I have recommended that you proceed because there is no guarantee when the state will act,” Dixon said. “But there appears to be unavoidable certainty that the state will decrease revenues to this county in the hundreds of millions of dollars.”

In May, Dixon submitted a proposed budget that included Draconian cuts in virtually every corner of county government, taking heavy tolls on the Sheriff’s, Parks and Recreation, Welfare, and Beaches and Harbor departments.

Similarly, Dixon’s pay-suspension program would affect nearly all county employees, including judges, lifeguards, probation officers and sheriff’s deputies. Most would take the equivalent of a 10% pay cut, although they would later receive paid leave to compensate for the days off. The days-off plan would begin in August and last until June, 1994. Those employees who earn an annual salary under $19,000 would be exempt from the program.

Employees earning between $19,000 and $23,000 would be required to work one unpaid day per month, the equivalent of a 5% pay cut. Employees earning between $23,000 and $75,000 would take the 10% cut, while those with salaries above $75,000 would be required to take three unpaid workdays each month, a 15% pay cut.

Under the plan, employees would earn a day of paid leave for each unpaid workday. They could use the paid leave after June, 1994. Workers who quit their jobs before then would be entitled to their unpaid wages.

Union officials who appeared before the board Monday called the plan arbitrary and premature. Paul Pfau, president of the Los Angeles County Assn. of Deputy District Attorneys, suggested that the county institute a voluntary work furlough program.

The board instructed Dixon to meet with union officials and county department heads to discuss the plan. Supervisors may vote on Dixon’s proposal Wednesday.