Latest news with #TaylorLaw
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Court rules against PAB again over its disciplinary powers
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Rochester's Police Accountability Board (PAB) is facing another setback in the ongoing legal battle about its authority. A New York Supreme Court judge ruled in favor of the Rochester Police Locust Club, saying the PAB does not have the authority to discipline Rochester police officers. The judge ordered the PAB to stop issuing subpoenas to officers for disciplinary hearings. The PAB released a statement on Wednesday, saying they will review the judge's ruling and consult with their legal counsel to 'explore all available remedies on behalf of the citizens of Rochester.' 'The Police Accountability Board (PAB) will review the Judge's ruling and consult withour legal counsel to explore all available remedies on behalf of the citizens of PAB was established to review civilian complaints and strengthen police-communityrelations, and we remain committed to that mission. Rochester residents overwhelminglyvoted for independent review of police civilian complaints and we will work withRochester City Council to ensure that the will of the people is balanced within theconfines of the law.' The New York Court of Appeals made a similar decision in 2023, saying the PAB's disciplinary powers violated the Taylor Law, which required collective bargaining over the terms and conditions of employment. The City Council has tried to reinstate an amendment to allow the board to discipline officers, but the Locust Club claimed the amendment passed without negotiation. E2024018465_Rochester_Police_Locus_v_Rochester_Police_Locus_DECISION_ORDER___JU_103Download Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Strike allegations lead to heated board meeting
TOWN OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Town of Tonawanda held its first board meeting on Monday night since town supervisor Joe Emminger said that dozens of police officers will be charged with Taylor Law violations – and the police union showed up in full force in response to allegations that officers participated in an illegal strike. The gavel had to be used more than 10 times at a vocal and heated meeting. The union said that the town's disciplinary actions against its own police force are a tipping point, so much so that Andy Thompson, president of the Town of Tonawanda Police Club, made his first public comments since the situation began. 'What's happening inside of our department should alarm every person in this room, and every family in this town,' Thompson said. Much like prior meetings, Monday's was packed with those in support of the police and those critical of the officers' alleged actions. In March, the town wrapped up its investigation into the department's alleged strike, sending its findings to the state's Public Employment Relations Board. Town leaders said no terminations will come from this, but discipline – like loss of pay and fines – will be in play if PERB upholds the charges. Since the beginning, police union leaders have denied that there was any type of strike, saying, 'The PERB charges are based on a flawed investigation with fabricated information disguised as facts.' 'The whole police community in New York State … this isn't a Tonawanda issue. We're all watching this and we're all disgusted by it,' said Michael O'Meara, president of the Police Conference of New York. Numbers reported by the town showed close to 90% fewer tickets in a three-week period compared to prior years. Thompson called those numbers 'bogus,' claiming the town is only doing this because of their frustration over Town of Tonawanda Police Chief James Stauffiger's leadership. The union recently created a website stating that Stauffiger should step down. On Monday, the union issued its first-ever unanimous vote of no confidence in Stauffiger. William Krier of the the Town of Tonawanda Criminal Investigations Bureau said that the alleged actions could not be ignored. 'When an officer is found to be dishonest in their official duties, it cannot be ignored,' Krier said. 'The police club clearly feels differently as they have attempted to influence discipline for that dishonesty through a job action, a job action that has ultimately failed and backfired.' The Public Employment Relations Board will be holding a hearing on the charges before issuing its decision within the next 30-45 days. Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tonawanda officers to be charged with Taylor's Law violations
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Dozens of police officers in the Town of Tonawanda will be charged with violating the state's Taylor Law after a town investigation found the officers participated in an illegal strike. Sources told WIVB News 4 that the town wrapped up its investigation into the alleged illegal strike last week and sent its findings to the state's public employment relations board. Letters to individual officers are set to go out this week. Town leaders said officers participated in an illegal job action by operating a ticket strike from mid-January to the first week of February. The town has said that the strike was a response from the police union after an officer — who has since resigned — was disciplined. Numbers provided by the town last month showed that 123 tickets were issued by officers during that period. Comparatively, more than 550 tickets were issued during the same period last year, more than 650 were issued in 2023, and over 430 were issued in 2022. Sources told News 4 nearly 50 officers will face Taylor Law violations — including members of the executive committee, who town leaders said both participated in the strike, and encouraged the strike. The Town of Tonawanda Police Club recently created a website stating that Tonawanda Police Chief James Stauffiger should step down. In a statement, the union said: 'The PERB charges filed against our union only proves one thing — that the Town Supervisor is more interested in needlessly wasting the taxpayers' money on retaliatory witch-hunts that only seek to persecute our essential workforce. 'As we have maintained, the PERB charges are based on an erroneous and flawed investigation with fabricated information disguised as facts.' The state's Taylor Law makes it illegal for public employees — such as teachers, correction officers and police officers — to strike. Taylor Law violations come with the possibility of loss of pay, fines, and additional discipline for misconduct. Dave Greber is an award-winning anchor and reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2015. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
12-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
2,000 fired prison guards won't be hired by New York again, Hochul says
More than 2,000 New York prison guards who were fired for participating in an illegal wildcat strike won't be able to get another job with the state, Gov. Kathy Hochul said. "There are consequences when people break the law, and that means you're not working in our state workforce, ever," Hochul said Tuesday. The strike lasted 22 days. It ended after the state and guards union struck a new deal that included the suspension of the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act, or HALT Act, for 90 days. The deal also included a reduction of 24-hour mandatory overtime, among other provisions. More than 10,000 officers had returned to work, which is down from the approximately 13,500 who initially went on strike. Several thousand National Guard members are being used to shore up the staffing shortfall. The strike, which was illegal under New York's Taylor Law prohibiting strikes by public employees, began on Feb. 17. Gov. Kathy Hochul warned of stiff repercussions for striking workers, including loss of health care, employment and possibly even prosecution. A prison watchdog group said seven prisoners died during the strike, including Messiah Nantwi, whose death is being investigated by a special prosecutor.
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.'
