PLATTSBURGH — The situation regarding hundreds of state correction officers not showing up for work in protest of working conditions inside prisons has prompted the governor to ready the New York National Guard.
“The illegal and unlawful actions being taken by a number of correction officers must end immediately,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday afternoon.
“We will not allow these individuals to jeopardize the safety of their colleagues, incarcerated people, and the residents of communities surrounding our correctional facilities.”
Hochul said she directed her administration to meet with union leadership to resolve the situation and have also ordered the National Guard be mobilized to secure correctional facilities in the event it is not resolved by tomorrow (Wednesday).
“Correction officers do difficult work under challenging circumstances, and I have consistently fought for them to have better pay and working conditions and will continue to do so,” Hochul said.
She said there were preparations to utilize the New York National Guard to protect correction officers who are currently on the job, individuals in DOCCS care and the communities surrounding correctional facilities.
Reports from across the state referred to officers who are showing up for work, having to work 12-hours shifts and then being forced to stay inside the prison until their next 12-hour shift without being able to contact family members or get a change of clothes.
CALL FOR MEETING
Hochul also directed Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Commissioner Daniel Martuscello and senior administration officials to meet with leaders from the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association to call for an end to the unlawful work stoppage that is, “causing significant public safety concerns across New York.”
Hochul also said the state will begin to take appropriate disciplinary action as necessary. She also directed her counsel to work with the Office of the Attorney General on legal mechanisms such as the Taylor Law, which will compel employees to return to work.
Martuscello said he met Tuesday with NYSCOPBA President Chris Summers and his Executive Board to discuss a path forward to returning all facilities to normal operations and ending the illegal strike.
“The safety and security of the staff and incarcerated population is paramount to me,” Martuscello said.
“I value the hard work and commitment of the men and women at DOCCS who have had to sacrifice time with their families due to the current staffing shortage. However, this illegal job action involving NYSCOPBA members is causing irreparable harm to the operations of the department and jeopardizing the safety and security of their co-workers within these facilities.”
The commissioner said they will continue to develop strategies to reduce assaults and to bring more staff on board with NYSCOPBA.
“There is always room for progress and for disagreements and we welcome continued dialogue with the union at the table,” he said.
“At this time, I am urging all those on strike to end this job action.”
Correction officers are upset with staffing shortages as well as conditions inside prisons that reduce their options for disciplining inmates, which they say has led to a drastic rise in assaults on both staff and inmates.
They are also concerned that the lack of staff forces them to work mandated double shifts.
ADJUSTMENTS
The officers became further upset about a plan to adjust staffing levels, which they say will not help the situation.
In a memorandum to all prison superintendents on Feb. 10, Martuscello talked about plans to address issues inside prisons concerning staff.
“This is not a problem that is unique to New York, this is a national problem in the field of corrections…” Martuscello wrote.
“While this is a multi-faceted problem with various touch points, one that we must tackle immediately is how we redefine the work. The broad community is discussing that 70% of our original staffing model is the new 100%.”
Martuscello also asked each superintendent to do a, “comprehensive review of each post, post order, duties description and identify where we can eliminate and/or realign posts and associated duties.”
Martuscello asked each superintendent to submit their plans to Michael D’Amore, deputy commissioner for Correctional Facilities, no later than Friday, Feb. 28.