The ongoing wildcat strike by correction officers in over 30 New York prisons may soon come to an end as a deal was reached between the guards’ union and Governor Kathy Hochul’s office. The deal involves suspending aspects of the HALT Act, a law that reduced solitary confinement in state prisons, and promises to ease mandatory overtime shifts. Correction officers have argued that the HALT Act limits their ability to control unruly prisoners and makes their jobs more difficult and dangerous.
As part of the deal, the suspension of the HALT Act would last for at least 90 days, with prison officials re-evaluating the situation after 30 days to determine if reinstating elements of the law poses an unreasonable risk to staff and inmates. The agreement also includes plans to minimize and potentially end 24-hour mandatory overtime shifts, as well as examining staffing and operational inefficiencies to provide relief to existing staff.
The development comes after 11 days of the strike, which has caused chaos in the state prison system. Governor Hochul stated that the agreement reached with the help of a mediator addresses the concerns raised by correction officers and aims to ensure safe operations, respect the rights of incarcerated individuals, and prevent future unsanctioned work stoppages. However, for the deal to go into effect, the striking guards must also agree to it, as they have felt that the union did not protect their interests.
The striking guards have until Saturday to return to work, or their first scheduled shift after that, in order to avoid facing disciplinary action. The work stoppage began at two prisons earlier in the month following an inmate uprising at one of the facilities, and later spread to numerous prisons where correction officers refused to work. Despite a state judge’s order for them to return to work, the employees continued the strike, prompting the state to take legal action against them and threaten to dock their pay and cancel their health insurance.
As a result of the strike, thousands of National Guard troops were deployed to work in the understaffed prisons, forcing inmates to be confined to their cells. Tragically, two inmates were found dead at separate prisons affected by the strike, while an additional inmate was found dead at a prison with striking guards. The situation has escalated with both sides trying to navigate the complexities of the strike and reach a resolution that addresses the concerns of the correction officers while also ensuring the safety and well-being of inmates.
