Latest news with #NewYorkStateCorrectionalOfficers&PoliceBenevolentAssociation
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New York's Illegal Prison Guard Strike Challenges Law Limiting the Use of Solitary Confinement
A prison guard strike across New York, which has sent many state-wide correctional facilities into chaos, may soon see some officers exchanging their positions of authority for a cell themselves if they are not able to cement a new agreement. Guards mobilized the strike, which began February 17, in response to working conditions they say are untenable. A deal reached last week sought to address those concerns: It limited mandatory 24-hour overtime shifts, which officers say had gotten out of control in response to staff shortages, and temporarily suspended a law that hamstrings the use of solitary confinement, particularly as it pertains to placing prisoners in isolation for long stretches of time. Last week's deal also pledged not to discipline officers who returned to work by the deadline, which passed on Saturday. Many declined to oblige, especially in upstate and western New York. "They are in violation of the law," Democratic Gov. Kathy Hocul said Tuesday, referring to New York's Taylor Law, passed in 1967, which permits public unionization and collective bargaining but curtails strikes by public employees. "They've created very unsafe circumstances. There are serious consequences. We have warned them day after day after day. A lot of warnings, that you could lose your health care, the health care is gone, people are going to be arrested, you could be going to jail. You've lost your job, you've lost your income, you've lost everything." As of Thursday, a handful of officers had been fired and thousands had lost health insurance. An amended agreement may see the strike come to an end this week, should officers accept this one. It would create a committee—made up of lawmakers, union leaders, and corrections officials—to analyze potential changes to the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement (HALT) Act, which appears to be many guards' foremost gripe. Signed in 2021 by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, it limits putting inmates in solitary for more than 15 consecutive days and bars its use entirely for pregnant women, people under the age of 22 or older than 54, and prisoners with certain disabilities. Officers have countered that the legislation paralyzes their ability to handle violent prisoners. At least seven inmates have died since the strike began. Thousands of soldiers with the National Guard were deployed to fill the void, although they have reportedly been ill-equipped to step into the role, absent the proper training and supplies. Inmates have been deprived of showers, visits, and basic medical attention without guards there to oversee their day-to-day needs. The New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, the union for state prison guards, did not authorize the strike. But it's yet another reminder of the disarray that ensues from strikes put on by state employees, who hold monopolies on public goods. The post New York's Illegal Prison Guard Strike Challenges Law Limiting the Use of Solitary Confinement appeared first on
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Some New York prison guards are fired for ignoring a deal to end their illegal strike
A wildcat strike by New York state prison guards stretched into a third week Monday, prompting officials to start firing workers for failing to abide by a deal to end the illegal labor action. The state's homeland security commissioner, Jackie Bray, said terminations began Sunday and that on Monday the state would begin canceling health insurance for correctional officers who have remained on strike. Their dependents will also lose coverage. Fewer than 10 officers have been fired so far, Bray said, while thousands are in line to lose their health insurance benefits. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. 'None of these actions we take lightly,' Bray said. 'We have tried at every turn to get people back to work without taking these actions.' A message seeking comment was left with the officers' union, the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association. At the same time, some workers at the Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy, New York, have been put on administrative leave following the death Saturday of a 22-year-old prisoner. The New York Times, citing accounts from other inmates, reported that he was beaten by correctional officers. Mid-State is located across the street from the Marcy Correctional Facility, where six guards have been charged with murder in the death of Robert Brooks, who was beaten by officers in December. 'Now that lawmakers feel an obligation to rein in these atrocities, guards are engaging in an illegal work stoppage as a distraction,' Jose Saldana, the director of the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign, said in a statement. 'To put it more bluntly, guards are holding hostage tens of thousands of incarcerated people, whose basic survival needs are often going unmet, in order to demand even more power to harm those in their custody,' Saldana said. Corrections officers began walking out Feb. 17 to protest working conditions. Last Thursday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a binding agreement between the state and officers' union to end the picketing. Officers were required to return to work by Saturday to avoid being disciplined for striking. The deal included ways to address staffing shortages and minimize mandatory 24-hour overtime shifts. It also offers a temporary bump in overtime pay, a potential change in pay scale and the suspension of a prison reform law that strikers blamed for making prisons less safe. The strike violated a state law barring walkouts by most public employees. Hochul deployed the National Guard to some prisons to take the place of striking workers. Corrections Commissioner Daniel Martuscello said Monday that the number of facilities with striking workers had dropped from 38 to 32. Visiting is still suspended at all state prisons, Martuscello said. The deal to end the strike included the 90-day suspension of a law limiting the use of solitary confinement. During the pause, the state was to evaluate if reinstating the law would 'create an unreasonable risk' to staff and inmate safety. The state also agreed to pay overtime for the next month at a rate of 2½ times regular pay instead of the usual 1½ times and, within four months, to finish analyzing a union request to raise the salary grade for officers and sergeants. The state and union agreed to staffing and operational inefficiencies at each facility in an effort to relieve strain on existing staff. "No matter when this ends or how this ends, our long term plan must be and is to recruit more corrections officers because our facilities run safer when we're fully staffed," Bray said, noting incentives that would include a $3,000 referral bonus for existing employees. 'That work can't really begin in earnest until folks return to work and we end the strike.'
Boston Globe
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Deal reached to end illegal strike by New York state prison workers, governor says
The deal includes changes to address staffing shortages and provisions to minimize mandatory 24-hour overtime shifts. Hochul said the mediated settlement addresses many of the workers' concerns, puts the state prison system on the path to safe operations and prevents future unsanctioned work stoppages. '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,' Hochul said in a statement. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The union, the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, Inc., did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Advertisement Strikers won several key concessions, including a temporary bump in overtime pay, a potential change in pay scale and the suspension of a prison reform law they blamed for making prisons less safe. For the next month, under the agreement, overtime will be paid at a rate of 2½ times instead of the usual 1½ times regular pay. The state also agreed that within the next four months it will finish its analysis of a union request to bump the salary grade for officers and sergeants. The reform law, which limits the use of solitary confinement, will remain suspended for 90 days while the state evaluates if reinstating it will 'create an unreasonable risk' to staff and inmate safety. The state and union also agreed to form a committee to study staffing and operational inefficiencies at each facility in an effort to relieve strain on existing staff. Corrections officers began walking out Feb. 17 to protest working conditions. Hochul deployed the National Guard to some prisons to take the place of striking workers. The job action violated a state law barring strikes by most public employees. Several inmates have died during the strike. Advertisement Scheinman, a seasoned mediator who serves as the permanent arbitrator for Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League and their unions, said the sides demonstrated 'good faith and enormous commitment to finding workable solutions for the workforce.' 'What has become clear during the mediation is the relationship between the parties and the workforce is strained,' Scheinman wrote in a memo explaining the agreement. 'No single issue, law, or policy entirely explains the current situation. It is obvious this erosion did not happen all at once.' The National Guard will draw down from state prisons as correctional officers return to work. In the agreement, National Guard members who remain in place will be used to prevent prison workers from being mandated to work a 24-hour overtime shift.
The Independent
28-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Deal reached to end illegal strike by New York state prison workers, governor says
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced an agreement late Thursday to end a wildcat strike that has roiled the state's prison system for more than a week. Hochul said the state and the union for striking correctional workers agreed to binding terms after four days of mediation talks. The workers must return to work by Saturday to avoid being disciplined for striking, mediator Martin Scheinman in a seven-page memo detailing the agreement, known as a binding consent award. The deal includes changes to address staffing shortages and provisions to minimize mandatory 24-hour overtime shifts. Hochul said the mediated settlement addresses many of the workers' concerns, puts the state prison system on the path to safe operations and prevents future unsanctioned work stoppages. '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,' Hochul said in a statement. The union, the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, Inc., did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Strikers won several key concessions, including a temporary bump in overtime pay, a potential change in pay scale and the suspension of a prison reform law they blamed for making prisons less safe. For the next month, under the agreement, overtime will be paid at a rate of 2½ times instead of the usual 1½ times regular pay. The state also agreed that within the next four months it will finish its analysis of a union request to bump the salary grade for officers and sergeants. The reform law, which limits the use of solitary confinement, will remain suspended for 90 days while the state evaluates if reinstating it will 'create an unreasonable risk' to staff and inmate safety. The state and union also agreed to form a committee to study staffing and operational inefficiencies at each facility in an effort to relieve strain on existing staff. Corrections officers began walking out Feb. 17 to protest working conditions. Hochul deployed the National Guard to some prisons to take the place of striking workers. The job action violated a state law barring strikes by most public employees. Several inmates have died during the strike. Scheinman, a seasoned mediator who serves as the permanent arbitrator for Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League and their unions, said the sides demonstrated 'good faith and enormous commitment to finding workable solutions for the workforce." 'What has become clear during the mediation is the relationship between the parties and the workforce is strained,' Scheinman wrote in a memo explaining the agreement. 'No single issue, law, or policy entirely explains the current situation. It is obvious this erosion did not happen all at once.' The National Guard will draw down from state prisons as correctional officers return to work. In the agreement, National Guard members who remain in place will be used to prevent prison workers from being mandated to work a 24-hour overtime shift.
