Prison officers look to oust Schwarzenegger from office

PRISON officers in California are threatening an attempt to oust governor Arnold Schwarzenegger through a "recall" vote similar to the one which brought him to power five years ago.

Mike Jimenez, president of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, said the current governor has been a failure.

He said the union was seeking a "recall" vote because its members have gone two years without a new labour contract and because Mr Schwarzenegger did not exempt its members from an executive order intended to reduce pay for tens of thousands of state employees to deal with the state's budget crisis.

"This governor, he stands for nothing," Mr Jimenez said. "He's a dismal failure in every sense of the word."

Mr Jimenez said the union would file a notice of intent to today. It would need over one million signatures to put a "recall" question on the ballot.

If the issue makes a special election ballot, a simple majority vote is needed for the recall to succeed and for Mr Schwarzenegger to leave office.

The governor said the "recall" attempt is a tactic to increase wages for the union beyond what can be afforded. He vowed not to capitulate.