A powerful union representing the state's prison guards wants to see Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger booted from office.

The California Correctional Peace Officers Association has pulled paperwork from the Secretary of State's Office as part of an effort to recall the governor, who was swept into office in 2003 after the recall of then-Gov. Gray Davis.

The union was expected Monday to file a notice of intent with the governor's office. At least 550,000 signatures would be needed to qualify the issue for the ballot.

The 31,000-member union is upset over the ongoing state budget stalemate and the governor's refusal to exempt prison guards for an executive order reducing state employee pay to the federal minimum wage until a new spending plan is adopted.

"In the history of governors in California, we think that this is the worst governor that we've ever had," said Lance Corcoran, a spokesman for the union.

Corcoran said Department of Corrections employees should have been exempted from the executive order.

"We perform an essential part of public safety," Corcoran said.

Aaron McLear, the governor's press secretary, said the union is just upset that members did not get a raise.

"This is an organization that was asking for a $1 billion raise while the state is forced to cut money to schools and to hospitals," McLear said. "The governor stood up to them then. He'll continue to lead in the best interest of California. He's not going to be intimidated by these tactics."