AUBURN, N.Y. — Around 15,000 correctional officers across New York remain on strike despite legal threats from the state, as Gov. Kathy Hochul announces increased efforts to enforce compliance with the Taylor Law, WHAM reports.
In a video announcement, Hochul stated that the strike, sparked by concerns over excessive working hours in state prisons, is in violation of New York’s Taylor Law. Officers have cited extreme working conditions, including back-to-back 24-hour shifts, as the primary reason for the walkout. However, Hochul maintains the strike is illegal under state law.
“Let me be clear, the illegal actions being taken by a number of individuals is putting the entire state at risk,” Hochul said.
On Feb. 25, Hochul confirmed that legal proceedings against nearly 400 striking officers had begun, with New York State Police serving restraining orders to 380 individuals. The governor made it clear that those who remain off the job are considered absent without leave (AWOL), meaning they will lose state health benefits and legal representation previously provided by their union.
“Administratively, it takes some time,” Hochul said. “The attorney general’s office has to run conflicts check, that takes some time. Our state police have to identify locations where to serve process. We’ve done everything we can to encourage them to get back to work. They know they are in violation of the New York State Taylor Law. They also are in violation of a temporary restraining order to return to work.”
The HALT law, which restricts the use of solitary confinement, has been a point of contention among correctional officers, who argue that the limitations make prisons more dangerous. The state’s decision to suspend certain provisions of the law is an attempt to address officer concerns while urging them to return to work.
Despite these measures, the strike continues to impact prison operations. According to WHAM, the state has begun transferring inmates from understaffed facilities. Approximately 40 inmates from Collins Correctional Facility have already been relocated, though it remains unclear whether additional transfers are planned.
James Miller, director of public relations for the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA), stated that mediation discussions with the state and the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) are ongoing. The union is pushing for long-term staffing solutions, including the elimination of mandatory triple shifts, increased recruitment efforts and guarantees that striking officers will not face departmental discipline.
David Washburn, a retired correctional officer, expressed support for the strikers outside Groveland Correctional Facility, telling WHAM that many officers are at a breaking point.
“The reason we all stepped out here again, many of them were ready to quit — and that’s still the message,” he said. “If this isn’t resolved, they’ll resign. If it is resolved I know some that are still resigning.”
Hochul insists that the state will not back down and that all striking officers will be individually served with legal orders to return to work.
“Nine out of 10 correctional officers are on this illegal strike, and we will go to get every single one of them until they return to work,” said Marcos Soler, New York’s deputy secretary for public safety. “That’s our priority, because the safety of those who work in the facility, the incarcerated individuals, and the at-large community cannot become compromised at this point.”
With no clear resolution in sight, mediation efforts continue as both the state and correctional officers remain at an impasse.
The strike started Feb. 17 at Collins Correctional Facility near Buffalo, following a lockdown after contraband was discovered and inmates took control of three dorms. Since then, the protest has expanded to more than 35 facilities statewide.
In the midst of the ongoing correctional officers’ strike, Hochul has proposed the expedited closure of up to five state prisons within the next fiscal year, providing only 90 days’ notice for each closure. This proposal, included in her recent budget amendments, aims to address the declining incarcerated population and operational challenges within the state’s correctional system. However, the timing has raised concerns among correctional staff and their advocates, who argue that such closures could exacerbate existing staffing shortages and compromise facility safety
