Public-sector labor unions filed legal challenges today against Gov. Linda Lingle's plan to furlough state workers in July.

The unions questioned whether Lingle's order of three furlough days a month for two years is constitutional.
The unions argue that furloughs should be the subject of collective bargaining negotiations between the unions and the state.
The unions asked the court for an injunction to block the furlough plans and the governor's intention to restrict state spending in lieu of furloughs at certain state departments.
The Hawaii State Teachers Association, in its complaint, said the governor's furlough plans are "intended to unilaterally reduce wages and salaries of all state workers by an estimated 14 percent."
Lingle said today that she has instructed state department leaders to prepare layoff plans in anticipation that the unions would challenge her in court on furloughs.
County mayors, meanwhile, presented the governor with a collective bargaining proposal for county workers that does not include furloughs or pay cuts for the next fiscal year.
The county proposal would be part of an offer that Lingle makes to the unions. It is the first time that counties have broken with the governor over labor negotiations with unions by submitting a separate package.
The three unions that filed complaints in court are the Hawaii Government
Employees Association, the Hawaii State Teachers Association and the United
Public Workers.