Prison Guards Striking In New York To Be Fired

Corrections officers participating in the strike in New York will be fired. New York State is fed up.  The strike that has been going on for two weeks has caused chaos and disruption in prisons around the state.

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According to The Times Union, Governor Kathy Hochul is asking the New York State legislature for the power to close up to five prisons. She closed two prisons that were closed in 2024. New York State's prison population has been declining. In 1999, it was over 70,000, and it was down to around 33,500 in 2024, according to Syracuse.com. Closing five prisons would certainly cut down on the number of corrections officers needed.

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Strikes by public employees in New York are prohibited by Taylor's Law. On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, Erie County State Supreme Court Judge Dennis E. Ward issued a temporary restraining order that required the officers to return to work immediately, according to the New York Times, however, many officers are still defying the court order and continuing with their illegal strike.

Striking New York Prison Guards To Be Fired

A union representative confirmed to News 4 Buffalo that any prison guards still striking as of today, Sunday, February 2, 2025, will be fired. James Miller, a spokesperson for NYSCOPBA, said that any guards who had not returned to work on Saturday will be fired. Termination notices are going out today. On Monday, health insurance will be terminated for striking officers and will be backdated to when they began to strike.

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Corrections officers had a list of grievances, including the HALT Act. They want the state to repeal the act, which ensures that solitary confinement is not abused by corrections officers. Meanwhile, ten correction officers were indicted in the death of a New York inmate. Robert Brooks, who was handcuffed, was beaten to death by prison guards. Many NY guards say that prisons are not safe, but many prisoners say that guards engage in abuse and intimidation.

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Prison guards claim they are facing unsafe conditions due to violence. In 2023, which is the most recent data, there were 1,671 assaults on staff in prisons around New York State. There was a 13 percent increase in violence against staff members from 2022 to 2023. As far as assaults on incarcerated individuals, there were 2,112 in 2023, an increase of 42 percent from 2022, when there were 1,488 incarcerated individuals assaulted. Staff used 2,908 weapons in 2023, up 16 percent from 2022, when staff used 2,511 weapons. In 2024, prisoners filed 1,443 grievances against prison staff.

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