Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration has declared the end of an unlicensed strike that has disrupted dozens of New York prisons and fired thousands of correctional officers who refused to return to work.
Daniel Martasquero, chairman of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, told reporters Monday evening that the strike was “end” and revealed that prison guards who failed records on Monday were in canned food.
“We are committed to building a dedicated, resilient workforce and attracting the next generation of correctional leaders,” Martuscello said. “We will strive to ensure that the new department is safer and more effective for everyone involved.”
The deal that hit over the weekend required 85% of correctional officers and sergeants to return to work Monday.
Martuscello said the 85% threshold has not been met, but the state plans to respect “part” of the contract's points. This includes establishing a committee to study the state's controversial solitary confinement policies and other provisions aimed at increasing the safety and working conditions of correctional officers.
About 10,000 of the 13,500 DOCCS employees who worked before the strike have returned as of Monday, according to Martuscello.
A DOCCS committee member said more than 2,000 workers who had not returned from the strike “were finished immediately and ended immediately.”
The unknown number of the 6,500 National Guard deployed to alleviate the obscure prisons will remain indefinitely to help backfill correctional officers.
Correctional workers who took part in the strike are still on the hook for violations that occurred under the state's Taylor Act, making such a walk illegal.
Under the law, officers must branch out to more than twice the daily wages they are illegally attacking.
Hochul's office estimates the strike costs taxpayers $3.5 million a day.
