Over 2,000 prison guards in New York were fired for not returning to work after a weeks-long strike that violated a state law prohibiting strikes by most public employees. The strike ended after 22 days when enough correctional officers returned to work, prompting the state to declare an end to the wildcat strike. The state and the guards’ union had reached a new deal over the weekend, but it was contingent on at least 85% of staff returning to work by Monday morning. While the 85% goal was not met, some provisions of the agreement, such as overtime work, would still be honored.
To support staff shortage due to the strike, the National Guard remained in place at prisons while the department launched an aggressive recruiting campaign to bring in additional employees. This move was in response to about 10,000 security staff being available to work in prisons across the state, down from about 13,500 before the strike began. Termination letters were sent to over 2,000 officers who remained on strike and did not return by the Monday morning deadline, leading to their immediate termination.
Following the strike, inmates have complained about deteriorating conditions behind bars. A special prosecutor is investigating the death of an inmate at the Mid-State Correctional Facility, where other inmates claimed the 22-year-old was brutally beaten by correctional officers. Another inmate at the Auburn Correctional Facility, 61-year-old Jonathon Grant, was pronounced dead after being found unresponsive in his cell during the strike. The strike was not sanctioned by the officers’ union and previous deals to end it failed to bring back enough guards to declare an end to the labor action.
The deal reached over the weekend includes a 90-day suspension of a provision of a state law that limits the use of solitary confinement, addressing a key complaint of the guards. During this pause, the state will assess if reinstating the law would pose an unreasonable risk to staff and inmate safety. Guards will now work 12-hour shifts and the state Department of Corrections will not discipline officers who participated in the strike if they returned by the deadline. The strike was deemed illegal under state law and guards frustrated with working conditions began walking off the job on February 17 at many state prisons.
In response to the strike, the Governor deployed the National Guard to some prisons to fill in for the striking workers. Despite the termination of over 2,000 officers, the state and the guards’ union reached a new deal to try to resolve the strike. However, the failure to meet the 85% return to work goal led to the immediate termination of those who did not return. The state is addressing concerns about staffing shortages and inmate conditions, as well as investigating inmate deaths that occurred during the strike. The agreement reached over the weekend includes measures to address guards’ complaints and evaluate the use of solitary confinement, while also setting new working conditions for guards.
