Latest news with #NewYorkStateCorrectionOfficersPoliceBenevolentAssociation
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Yahoo
State declares CO strike over
DANNEMORA — The grounds outside Clinton Correctional Facility looked much different Monday than they have the past three weeks. Instead of hundreds of correction officers huddling around fires, holding makeshift signs denouncing the state's treatment of them and receiving food deliveries from supportive members of the community, the parking lot across the street from Clinton Correctional was empty for the first time since before Feb. 17 — when the strike began. State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Daniel F. Martuscello III declared Monday afternoon that the strike was over, and that about 10,000 of the 13,500 officers in the state had returned to work. Monday's developments occurred after an agreement on paper was reached between the state and the correction officer's union, the New York State Correction Officers Police Benevolent Association, over the weekend. It had remained to be seen whether or not staff would return to work. THRESHOLD An 'agreement' was previously reached on Feb. 27, but the strike continued on. However, this time, it played out differently after the state set an early Monday morning deadline to return to work. 'The agreement will take effect upon at least 85 percent of staff returning to work,' a statement issued Saturday night said. James Miller, Director of Public Relations for NYSCOPBA, said Monday morning he did not have an official tally of those who went back to work. 'Received multiple inquiries this morning on the number of officers who returned to work at the deadline today,' he said by email. 'No numbers yet on how many returned to work. I will hopefully have a better sense by early afternoon. More than likely, we won't put out a statement until we know if the threshold was met.' ITEMS The deal appears to include most of the same items that were agreed upon in previous rounds of negotiations. A suspension of the Humane Alternatives to Long Term Incarceration Act for 90 days with review to follow, changes in scheduling to alleviate overtime and double and triple shifts, improved screening procedures and limited or no discipline for striking officers. The deal was signed by DOCCS Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III, Office of Employee Relations Director Michael Volforte and New York State Correction Officers Police Benevolent Association President Chris Summers. Officers across the state have been on a wildcat strike not sanctioned by the union for three weeks. They have been demanding safer conditions inside prisons. They are seeking more staffing, less double and triple shifts, better screening for packages and visitors to keep contraband out, a repeal to HALT. The state has threatened to fire striking officers and suspended health insurance coverage for them and their families. The National Guard has been called in to help those officers who have been reporting for work, cover prisons. THANKED THE STAFF Martuscello said the National Guard and the officers who have been working deserve credit. 'I want to thank the staff that have worked hard every day of this strike,' he said. 'Your being there was critical for this challenging 22 days.' While it appears that officers at Clinton Correctional Facility and Altona Correctional Facility have largely returned to work, there reportedly were still large numbers of officers picketing at prisons in Malone in Franklin County. Martuscello said that the state would be terminating about 2,000 officers who did not return to work, immediately. LEGAL AID SOCIETY While Martuscello touted the end of the strike, the Legal Aid Society said it was not happy about the deal reached, and threatened legal action. 'Although Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III and NYSCOPBA leadership have signed an agreement aimed at ending the illegal strike, the threat to incarcerated New Yorkers persists. Without a clear plan to swiftly restore essential services, resume legal and family visits, provide medical care neglected during the strike, and implement strong oversight to prevent retaliation by returning correctional staff, the people we serve in DOCCS facilities across the state will continue to face life-threatening harm,' a statement from the Legal Aid Society said Monday. 'Compounding these concerns, DOCCS has doubled down on a purported 'suspension' of HALT, the vague terms of which threaten a boundless and illegal circumvention of critical legal protections for incarcerated New Yorkers. All incarcerated New Yorkers, their families, friends, and communities, deserve to know what DOCCS is doing to comply with HALT, and we are going to court to ensure they have that clarity.' The Legal Aid Society said it will continue to closely monitor this situation to ensure the well-being of those they represent and safeguard their legal rights. JONES WANTS SAFETY State Assemblyman D. Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) a former correction officer himself, said he will remain committed to fighting for workplace safety at correctional facilities across the state. 'What is happening at correctional facilities is horrible and it should have never come to this,' Jones said. 'No one wants to see anyone lose their job for protecting workplace safety. All we want is for everyone to return to work under safe conditions.'
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Commissioner: Remaining prison strikers terminated
PLATTSBURGH — In an eight-minute news conference, state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III declared the three-week correction officers strike was over. 'The governor and I are happy to report it has now ended,' Martuscello said Monday afternoon via a Zoom news conference with media from across the state. 'We have welcomed over 5,000 correction officers and correction sergeants back, including over 1,200 today. We now have over 10,000 security staff working or available to work in our prisons across the state, and we're going to move forward with this team after four different agreements and numerous communications outlining the potential consequences associated with this illegal strike.' Martuscello said termination letters have been sent to over 2,000 people who remained on strike, officers and sergeants who did not have pre-approved medical leave and did not return by the Monday 6:45 a.m. deadline. They have been terminated effective immediately, he said. The state and the officer's union, the New York State Correction Officers Police Benevolent Association, reached a deal this past Saturday that called for at least 85 percent of the workforce to return to work by Monday. 'While we did not meet the threshold for return to work to trigger the deal that was negotiated between the state and NYSCOPBA, I'm still committed to providing some of the critical changes and benefits to my employees, to support our workforce,' Martuscello said. 'The governor and I are committing to honor the March 6 memorandum of understanding, including the HALT committee, the 90-day HALT program suspension, the 12-hour shifts that will be maintained during this emergency as we continue our transition, 2.5 times overtime for 30 days from March 6 for all strike related staff, the Civil Service reevaluation of the reallocation for both titles of correction officer and correction sergeants to be completed within two months, no discipline under the collective bargaining agreement.' Taylor Law penalties will remain in place, he said. The state will also continue to rescind the commissioner's memo regarding a reduction in staff to 70 percent, and it will pursue legal mail scanning to ensure that they can cut off contraband coming into the system and make for a safer work environment. Also, the National Guard will remain in place in a support position under the governor's direction, and health insurance that was suspended for officers and their families will be reinstated immediately upon the staff's return to work. The state will also allow employees to purchase health insurance covering the full state share and employee share to the first day of the (strike) when the health insurance was terminated. RECOVER, REBUILD 'It's time to recover, rebuild and recruit,' Martuscello said. Martuscello said that as of Monday, there were about 10,000 correction officers out of the roughly 13,500 officers that were working before the strike that had come back to work. He said prisons will be maintained by utilizing 12-hour shifts to ensure that people aren't working 24-hour shifts and begin to slowly reopen and get back to a 'new normal.' 'I want to talk directly to my employees,' he said. 'I want you to know that I heard you. Your safety, your family, your work-life balance are important to me, and I'm committed to continue to listen to your voices as we move forward. It is time to turn the page.' Martuscello said the state will start with 'a high-energy recruitment campaign moving forward with a clear focus on stabilizing and resuming operations while ensuring safety and security in our facilities.' 'At the same time, we're launching an aggressive recruitment and rebuilding campaign aimed at restructuring and strengthening DOCCS. We are committed to building a dedicated, resilient workforce and attracting the next generation of correctional leaders.'
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Yahoo
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.'
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Agreement reached in correction officers strike
PLATTSBURGH — It appears the 11-day wildcat strike of state correction officers may be over. In an agreement reached late Thursday, the fourth day of mediation, a deal calling for a 90-day repeal of the Humane Alternatives to Long Term Incarceration Act, changes to overtime pay, improvements for legal mail screening and no penalties for striking officers, was reached. 'My top priority is the safety of all New Yorkers, and for the past 11 days, I have deployed every possible state resource to protect the well-being of correction officers, the incarcerated population and local communities across New York," Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement late Thursday night. "Working with a mediator, we have reached a consent award to address many of the concerns raised by correction officers, put DOCCS back on the path to safe operations, respect the rights of incarcerated individuals and prevent future unsanctioned work stoppages. I have the utmost respect and gratitude for the correction officers, civilian DOCCS employees, National Guard personnel and other staff who have done their absolute best to maintain order in our correctional facilities during this challenging period.' Correction officers went on a strike unsanctioned by their union, the New York State Correction Officers Police Benevolent Association, on Feb. 17. The officers were searching for more staffing, better measures to keep troublesome contraband out and a repeal of the HALT Act, which strictly limits the amount of time spent in — and which inmates can be sent to — special housing units. NYSCOPBA has been arguing for two years that the amount of assaults in prisons of inmate on inmate and inmate on staff has gone way up since HALT was implemented in March of 2022. Mediation sessions with mediator Martin Scheinman began on Monday, Feb. 24 with representatives from the state and the union sitting down. In his Consent Award statement, Scheinman said the agreement was between New York State ('State') and the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association. "The parties reached agreement to resolve various disputes; and WHEREAS, the parties agreed to memorialize their agreement in this Consent Award; NOW, THEREFORE, I make the following Award upon the consent of the parties, without admission of wrongdoing by any party," the agreement said. In the agreement, the state agreed to the temporary suspension of HALT for 90 days, and other concessions. The agreement calls for officers to return to work on Saturday, March 1. The National Guard, which was brought in by Hochul to staff prisons across the state, will be drawn down as staff returns to work. With regards to the suspension of HALT, after 30 days, the commissioner of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Daniel F. Martuscello III will "begin to evaluate the operations, safety, and security of our facilities relative to staffing levels and determine whether re-instituting the suspended elements of HALT would create an unreasonable risk to the safety and security of the incarcerated individuals and staff." "This analysis will be done on a facility-by-facility basis and will be ongoing. The suspension applies only to the HALT Act provisions... pursuant to which the Commissioner has operational discretion, and specifically to the provisions that have been directly impacted by the staffing crisis and illegal strike, and not to the other elements of the HALT Act. DOCCS will continue to follow all other elements of the HALT Act requirements." Changes to Overtime "The joint goal is to minimize and work towards eliminating anyone working 24-hour mandatory overtime. The parties agree to the following points to aid in this goal." "Voluntary Overtime – if a Correction Officer or Sergeant volunteers and works 4 shifts of overtime in a two-week pay period, they will not be mandated to work an additional shift in that pay period. A 'shift' shall be defined as an eight-hour tour of duty. Two (2) shifts will be selected for each week of the pay period. "Employees who engage in shift swapping are not excluded from this incentive or management's ability to mandate. If an employee who works the required two (2) voluntary overtime shifts per week and is then mandated for an additional shift during that same week, such shift shall be credited for the following week of voluntary overtime within the pay period, resulting in one less voluntary overtime shift being worked the following week of the pay period. "Additionally, if an employee is mandated to work an overtime shift after working two (2) voluntary overtime shifts in a week, the employer shall pay a $750 penalty to the employee for violating the voluntary overtime agreement. The credit shall not roll over from one pay period to the next." Also, "any Correction Officer or Sergeant who volunteers and works overtime on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday will receive a pay differential of $100 per shift worked on such day." Legal Mail "DOCCS shall investigate and pursue a contract with a qualified vendor to provide equipment and/or services for the screening of all incarcerated individual legal mail in an effort to further curtail the introduction of drugs into correctional facilities. Such screening shall not include, in any form, the review of the communications within legal mail. Strike-Related Discipline "DOCCS shall not issue notices of discipline under the collective bargaining agreement for an employee who engaged in the strike so long as the employee returned to work by the deadline in this award. This does not include any Taylor Law fine(s) that may be incurred. "This does not apply to employees who engaged in criminal/illegal activity separate and distinct from the accusation of strike participation. For example, employees who engaged in vandalism or violence will be issued notices of discipline for such misconduct. "DOCCS agrees to expeditiously process the reinstatement applications submitted by any employee who was summarily terminated while on probation as a result of the strike. This does not guarantee that the reinstatement application will be granted." Continuation of 2.5 Overtime The state said it will continue the 2.5 Overtime rate for all overtime worked for 30 days from the date of the agreement. "The State agrees that the Department of Civil Service will complete its analysis of the union's previously submitted reallocation request to increase the salary grade of a Correction Officer from SG-14 to SG-17 and Correction Sergeant from SG-17 to SG-20, within four (4) months from the date of this award. "The parties also agree to implement a Referral Bonus Program whereby any staff that refers a non-DOCCS employee to become a Correction Officer or Correction Officer Trainee will receive a $1,500 Referral Bonus upon their graduation of the academy and completion of on-the-job training and a second $1,500 Referral Bonus upon their completion of the 52-week probationary period." The parties will also procure and implement a mental health and wellness app that will allow for a generic sign on in order to protect the users' anonymity, the agreement said. The parties also agreed to meet and discuss the definitions of assault for tracking assaults on staff. NYSCOPBA officials had yet to comment on the agreement late Thursday night.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Stalemate remains as correction officer strike reaches Day 10
PLATTSBURGH — Mediation talks yielded no substantial changes affecting the now 10-day old correction officers strike and both sides remain dug into their positions. 'Day 2 of mediation concluded last night (Tuesday) at approximately 9 p.m. and the discussions continued with the state and DOCCS on the main concerns of those members still engaged in the labor dispute,' a statement from New York State Correction Officers Police Benevolent Association spokesman Jim Miller said. 'There was progress made on several issues, but nothing significant to report at this time.' MEDIATION SESSIONS Mediation sessions began in earnest on Monday as the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and the union try to end the strike, which the union has not sanctioned. Officers began striking on Monday, Feb. 17 outside several prisons across the state. The strike has spread to just about all prisons in the state. Some officers are not striking and they have been working long shifts since then with little time off to cover each prison. Gov. Kathy Hochul also activated 6,500 members of the National Guard to help secure the facilities. Officers are striking in hopes of improving staffing levels inside prisons, better measures to keep troublesome contraband out and a repeal of the Humane Alternatives to Long Term Incarceration Act, which strictly limits the amount of time and which inmates can be sent to special housing units. DOCCS: STRIKES RISK STABILITY DOCCS said Wednesday that the state remains fully engaged in the ongoing mediation effort and remains hopeful for a swift and fair resolution. 'As we reach day 10 of this illegal strike, we take a moment to recognize and commend the exemplary work being done by the current staff and the National Guard,' a DOCCS statement said. 'Their dedication and professionalism are critical in maintaining facility operations and ensuring the safety and security of our facilities and the neighboring communities. However, the longer this illegal strike continues the greater the risk becomes to the stability of these facilities and for the people inside them. It is imperative that this unlawful job action come to an end without further delay.' On Tuesday, Hochul said in her media briefing, 'We want to find out what the issue is, because the individuals who've walked out in an unsanctioned strike unapproved by the union have yet to tell us the issues.' That statement rankled many officers as well as State Sen. Dan Stec (R-Queensbury) who said it would be 'shocking' if Hochul did not know what the issue were because officers have been begging for reform for more than two years. JONES: STAFF WANT SAFETY On Wednesday, Assemblyman D. Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) a former correction officer himself, also addressed the governor's comments. 'The Governor and NYSDOCCS should know exactly what correctional officers and staff want just as much as we know what they want,' Jones said. 'They want safety and safe staffing restored in our correctional facilities. Correctional officers just want to go home to their families at night, and not be concerned about what might happen during their shift. They also simply do not want to be overworked and be required to work ridiculous shifts, something that all workers deserve.' Jones said that since the HALT Act was enacted (March of 2022), violent incidents have increased, making it so correctional officers can no longer discipline the inmates, and making it nearly impossible to recruit new employees. 'It is common sense to make changes to the HALT Act to ensure that correctional facilities are safe and help with staff recruitment and retention,' Jones said. 'The North Country knows exactly how bad it is at correctional facilities with recent incidents with contraband where several correctional officers received medical treatment due to exposure to an unknown substance. It is again just common sense to make changes to the security policy and require all visitors and inmates to receive full body scans and to update the legal mail policy as well as establish a true secured vending system for packages.' 'NEED TO BE ADDRESSED NOW' Jones said the requests from the officers are nothing new and the governor and DOCCS need to address them immediately. 'I've been beating this drum for a long time. These officers have no work-life balance with mandatory shifts,' he said. 'There needs to be a resolution soon. We have to get to a place where we can have assurances that our staff is safe within (prisons), and like I have said before, these issues have been around for a number of years now, and should have been addressed before now, and they need to be addressed now.'
