More than 2,000 prison guards were let off by New York officials on Monday for failing to report for duty following a weeks-long strike.
In violation of a state statute that forbids strikes by the majority of public employees, the state declared an end to the wildcat strike when enough correctional officers had returned to work.
Corrections Commissioner Daniel Martuscello said during a virtual press briefing, “The governor and I are happy to report that an illegal strike that lasted for 22 days is now over.”
Over the weekend, a new agreement was made between the state and the guards’ union, the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, to end the strike; however, it was subject to at least 85% of employees going back to work by Monday morning.
Martuscello stated that the state will adhere to some of the agreement’s clauses, such as those pertaining to overtime work, even though the 85% target was not reached.
According to Martuscello, the National Guard will continue to provide support to personnel at jails while the department launches a vigorous hiring drive to add more staff members. The National Guard was sent to certain prisons by Governor Kathy Hochul to cover for striking employees.
According to the commissioner, there are currently only about 10,000 security personnel available to work in jails throughout the state, compared to roughly 13,500 prior to the wildcat strike.
“Termination letters have been sent to over 2,000 officers who remained on strike. Officers and sergeants who did not have preapproved medical leave and didn’t return by this morning, 6:45 a.m. deadline, have been terminated effective immediately,” Martuscello stated.
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On February 17, guards at numerous state prisons who were dissatisfied with their working conditions started to leave their jobs. Since the walkout, prisoners have voiced their displeasure over the worsening conditions inside the prison.
The death of 22-year-old inmate Messiah Nantwi at Mid-State Correctional Facility on March 1 is also being investigated by a special prosecutor. Fifteen staff members have been placed on administrative leave following the death of Nantwi, who was severely abused by correctional personnel, according to other inmates.
There is “probable cause to believe” that up to nine correctional personnel were either responsible for Nantwi’s death or could be connected to it, the state attorney general’s office said in a court filing.
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Across the street from Mid-State is the Marcy Correctional Facility, where six guards have been charged with murder in connection with Robert Brooks’ beating death in December.
It is unknown whether prison personnel contributed to the death of another inmate, 61-year-old Jonathan Grant, who was discovered unconscious in his cell at the Auburn Correctional Facility last month during the current labor strike.
The officers’ union did not approve of the strike.
Two earlier agreements that attempted to end the strike were unable to return enough guards to declare the labor action over.
The agreement negotiated over the weekend resolves a major grievance of the guards by suspending for 90 days a section of a state statute that restricts the use of solitary confinement, as was part of the earlier deals. The state will assess whether enforcing the rule again would pose an unreasonable risk to the safety of personnel and inmates during the halt.
Additionally, guards will work 12-hour shifts, and if cops who took part in the strike return by the deadline on Monday, the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision will not sanction them.
