Strikers: Only handful of guards returned to work
DANNEMORA — Despite threats of termination and a loss of health insurance benefits, correction officers remained standing firm on the picket line Monday.
'They are dug in and staying strong,' retired officer Daryl Menard said.
The 15th day of the wildcat strike outside Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora saw another large crowd of officers braving the freezing temperatures around burn barrels most of the day.
Officers across the state began their strike, which is not sanctioned by their union, the New York State Correction Officers Police Benevolent Association, on Feb. 17.
Their chief demands are safer working conditions inside, which focus on more staffing, less double and triple shifts, better mail and visitor screening for troublesome contraband and a repeal of the Humane Alternatives to Long Term Incarceration Act, which strictly limits how long and which inmates can be sent to special housing units.
The state and leadership of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision met with union representatives and a mediator several times last week and came up with an agreement, but the rank and file on the picket lines are not satisfied.
The agreement called for a suspension of HALT for 90 days with an evaluation afterwards, a shift in overtime schedules, more screening and no discipline for striking officers.
The deadline for them to return to work was this past Saturday.
While official numbers of those who decided to leave the picket lines and go back to work were not available, those on the picket line at Clinton Correctional Facility Monday said only a small number of officers went back to work.
MARTUSCELLO VISIT
On Sunday, DOCCS Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III visited Clinton and several other prisons across the state.
He issued this statement: 'I've been talking to a lot of staff over the past weeks, yesterday I was on the road visiting facilities and will be traveling to several prisons again today to thank those that continued to work and welcome back the staff that are returning to their facilities.
'My message to you is this is the final push. Tomorrow, Monday, March 3, anyone who remains on strike will have their's and their dependents healthcare removed retroactive to the first day they were AWOL, and you will not be eligible for COBRA.
'I want you to come back to work today. If you missed your shift, you should still report, and know that we will continue to have open dialogue on making facilities safer places to work.'
Officers on the line Monday said they are at the point where they are willing to lose their jobs and find other employment rather than go back inside and risk their lives with no major changes to safety policies.
Menard said most of the officers want to go back to work, but they are not willing to lose their lives over their jobs.
'These guys out here (on the picket line) are some of the best officers we have and they are honorable and damn good people,' Menard said.
'They are not afraid of doing their jobs, but enough is enough and they don't want to put themselves or their families in jeopardy.'
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