California's largest state worker union announced Saturday that it reached a deal with Gov. Jerry Brown's administration to cut compensation for its members.

The union, SEIU 1000, said salaries will be cut 4.62% for one year starting July 1. Employees will be able to take eight additional hours off per month at their discretion, the union said.

The union also said the state agreed to reduce its ranks of student assistants and retired annuitants, who are workers drawing a pension and a salary at the same time.

SEIU 1000 represents about half of the state's 182,000 employees, so the agreement moves Brown much closer to his goal of reducing overall state worker compensation by 5%.

Several other unions have already reached cost-cutting agreements with the Brown administration.

Unlike his predecessor, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Brown pledged to negotiate cuts with unions. He originally proposed shifting some state workers to a 38-hour, four-day workweek.

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-- Chris Megerian in Sacramento

twitter.com/chrismegerian

Photo: SEIU Local 1000 members protest in Los Angeles in 2008. Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times