A prison guard strike in New York entered its third day on Wednesday, with Gov. Kathy Hochul taking swift action to bring it to an end. In response to the growing unrest, Hochul has sought a court order to halt the strike and appointed a mediator to help resolve the dispute.
Hochul’s Strong Response to the Strike
Gov. Hochul has warned that if the strike does not end soon, she will deploy the National Guard to restore order in the state’s correctional facilities. The governor emphasized the seriousness of the situation in a statement on Tuesday, calling the strike illegal and unlawful. She stated that she would not allow corrections officers to put the safety of their colleagues, incarcerated individuals, or the surrounding communities at risk.
“I have directed my Administration to meet with union leadership to resolve this situation, and I have also ordered the National Guard be mobilized to secure our correctional facilities in the event it is not resolved by tomorrow,” said Hochul.
Hochul also took a moment to acknowledge the challenging work of corrections officers, noting that she has long fought for better pay and working conditions for them. However, she made it clear that the illegal strike must end to avoid further disruption to the prison system.
What Are the Corrections Officers Demanding?
The strike began due to mounting frustration among the corrections officers about working conditions in the state’s prisons. According to reports, many officers have refused to report for their shifts at 30 of New York’s 42 prisons, including the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Westchester County, where officers were seen picketing on Wednesday morning.
Corrections Officer John Bosco expressed the frustration many are feeling, saying, “We raise our right hand to help protect the people of the state of New York, but it’s come to this.”
One of the key issues behind the strike is staffing shortages. The prison system is currently operating with only 70% of the staff it had before the COVID-19 pandemic. The union spokesman, Israel Sanchez, said that staff are being **forced to work 16- and 24-hour shifts on an almost daily basis, which has led to security concerns. “It’s a security issue. How can you do that work when you’re that tired?” Sanchez said, highlighting the physically demanding nature of the job.
The Halt Act and Other Prison Reforms
In addition to staffing concerns, there is strong anger among prison guards about the Halt Act, a law passed that greatly reduced the use of solitary confinement for violent incarcerated individuals. Officers argue that this has created an environment where dangerous inmates are allowed to remain in general population, posing a risk to both staff and other prisoners.
“Now these guys are all in population, they commit a major offense, they remain in population where they can hurt others and hurt us!” Sanchez stated.
The Legal and Political Battle
Both state officials and union leaders agree that the strike is illegal. The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA), the union representing the striking officers, has called the situation a “back against the wall” scenario for its members. Their demands include higher pay, stricter security checks for prison visitors, and a rollback of some of the prison reforms that have been enacted, including the Halt Act.
However, Gov. Hochul’s office has emphasized that it has already been working on improving salaries, benefits, and working conditions for corrections officers, including adding body scanners to reduce contraband in prisons. They are also making efforts to recruit more officers to address the staffing crisis.
In a statement, Department of Corrections Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III said that while the department values the hard work and commitment of corrections officers, the ongoing strike is having a “devastating impact” on the operation of the facilities and poses a safety risk to both staff and prisoners. He urged the officers on strike to end their actions immediately.
