SACRAMENTO, Calif. – When wealthy contributors write checks to Governor Schwarzenegger, they often get a few canapes and a drink – and a secret telephone number that grants them access to his closest advisers and even the governor himself.

Twice a month, donors become insider’s insiders – invited to participate in conference calls featuring information about Mr. Schwarzenegger’s campaign strategy that his political enemies would love to have. In turn, donors who dial in can give the governor advice.

In the latest such call, a few days ago, Mr. Schwarzenegger’s press expert, Don Sipple, outlined a strategy “based on a lot of polling,” he said, to create a “phenomenon of anger” among voters toward public employee unions. Firefighters, police officers, teachers, and other state-paid workers have become the governor’s harshest critics this year.

“The process is like peeling an onion,” Mr. Sipple said, describing a multi-step plan for persuading voters that public worker unions are, he said, “motivated by economic self interest” instead of “doing the best job for the state.”

The Thursday discussion, involving multiple contributors and three top Schwarzenegger strategists, offered a rare glimpse of the governor’s so-called “donor maintenance” effort – insider information, solicitous compliments, invitations to exclusive parties. It was also a window on the governor’s attack strategy ahead of an expected November 8 special election.

The governor has dubbed 2005 the “year for reform,” and he needs millions of dollars for support – mainly for TV ads. The Los Angeles Times was given access to Thursday’s half-hour call through a participant.

“It’s a good way to keep in touch with you, our most important supporters about the latest developments in the campaign,” Mr. Schwarzenegger’s chief fund-raiser, Marty Wilson, told the contributors. Mr. Schwarzenegger participated in a call with donors two weeks ago, and is expected to do so again June 16. Presumably, that will be after he signs an executive order scheduling the special election, so he can take to voters some of his proposals for changing state government.

Contributors to Mr. Schwarzenegger’s causes first are invited to join the calls via e-mail, which tells them how to get the private phone number and a password. The campaign staff decides which significant donors are included on the call. The discussions feature a so-called “special guest,” such as Mr. Sipple, talking about the governor’s plans, as well as information about fund-raisers and a question-and-answer session.

In the call, the advisers said Mr. Schwarzenegger had spent $8 million so far on television ads defending and promoting his agenda. He launched another TV ad campaign the same day that will cost $2.5 million for a few weeks of airtime – and he wants to collect between $31 million and $32 million to run his initiative campaign through the fall, the advisers said.

A special election ballot is expected to include a proposed government spending cap and a plan to lengthen the time it takes teachers to get tenure. The unions and their Democratic allies have spent millions on TV ads criticizing the governor and his proposals – with some success, the advisers acknowledged.

“There is no question to anybody who is rational that we have been in the barrel for the past several months,” Mr. Sipple said during the phone call. “The good news is we have polling that shows us coming out of the trench.”