OAN Staff James Meyers
1:46pm – Thursday, February 20th, 2025
Multiple strikes by New York prison guards began, and continued through Thursday at many Empire correctional facilities, urging New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul to declare a “disaster emergency.”
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Hochul (DN.Y.)'s emergency declaration will lead 3,500 National Guard personnel to action in several prisons across the state.
“These destructive and unlicensed work suspensions by some corrections officers end as they risk the safety of their colleagues, prison populations and cause excessive fear for residents of surrounding communities. It has to,” Hochul said in a statement.
The possibility of violence erupting as security guards continue to attack is still a continuing concern. Nevertheless, if necessary, the National Guard forces step up and fight the chaos immediately.
The declaration comes after a fourth day strike by the Amendment Officers at 36 facilities throughout the Empire state. Many workers are protesting their working conditions and say they have put them in a massive understaffing.
Meanwhile, state Supreme Court Judge Donna M. Siewek required security guards to return to work Wednesday, arguing that their strikes were not permitted under New York law.
The prison labor union, which has nearly 17,000 members, announced they would not be responsible for launching the strike, but added that they would like to work with Hochul to come to a solution to the labor dispute.
On Thursday, the governor issued a statement saying he is “working with Commissioner Daniel Martaschello of the Department of Corrections, including installing new security cameras, strengthening the Special Investigation Bureau and increasing compensation for hard-working Correspondence Officers.”
“Public safety is my number one priority,” the governor said. “I will continue everything with my strength to keep correctional facilities safe for everyone.”
According to New York Postthe protest could be linked to a prisoner riot at Collins Correctional Facility in Erie County last week, with multiple security guards injured as inmates took over part of the prison.
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