AUGUSTA -- State workers are being asked to approve a new two-year contract that includes no pay raises, a union official said Wednesday.

Maine State Employees Association President Bruce Hodsdon said given the economy, it's the best union officials could do for the nearly 10,000 executive branch state workers covered by the contract. Union officials who negotiated the contract are recommending an "ought to accept" vote by members, according to the union's Web site.

"It's the best contract we could get given the times and the way things are nowadays," Hodsdon said.

Union members have until 5 p.m. Aug. 17 to vote on the tentative agreements, which include four bargaining units in the executive branch.

Alicia Kellogg, state human resources director, said she could not comment on the contract until after it has been ratified.

Hodsdon said while there are no pay increases, there are some small adjustments to allowances within certain departments. He said union negotiators were happy there were "no actual take backs."

The current contract expired June 30, but both sides agreed to a one-month extension. On July 27, union negotiators voted to send the tentative agreements to members.

Packets of information about the contract were mailed to union members last week and union officials are holding informational meetings this week with state workers.

About 1,000 state prison and psychiatric hospital workers who are represented by a different union approved new contracts with no raises in June. Ratification votes are pending for unions that represent state troopers and other law enforcement personnel, including forest rangers and marine patrol officers, Kellogg said.

Earlier this year, the Legislature voted on a series of changes to pay and benefits for state workers, a move the union criticized because it occurred outside the normal bargaining process.

Lawmakers instituted 20 unpaid days off for non-emergency state workers -- the next one is Friday -- over the next two years, froze merit pay and took back longevity pay as a way to balance the state budget. Also, the Legislature required state employees to start paying a portion of their health benefits.

Union members marched in June to demand that the state agree to no additional layoffs and wanted the state to reopen negotiations in a year in case the economy improves.

Hodsdon said union members will work to find additional savings in hopes that longevity pay can be restored. But, he said the state did not agree to no additional layoffs.

"Nobody was willing to make those kinds of commitments," he said. "We'll be working together more closely than we did in the (legislative) session to look at where things can be cut."

Susan Cover -- 620-7015

scover@centralmaine.com