A correction officers’ strike in New York State has entered its second week, as correctional facilities statewide continue to deal with the fallout of illegal walkouts staged by officers. The strike has left prisons under-staffed, leading to concerns over the safety of both inmates and correctional officers. While the walkouts are illegal under New York’s Taylor Law, which prohibits strikes by public employees, the ongoing action has prompted significant attention from both state leaders and affected families.
News 8’s Natalie Kucko recently spoke to Marchet Coleman, a spouse of an inmate at Wyoming Correctional Facility, who expressed deep concerns about how the strike has impacted her loved one and other incarcerated individuals. Her husband has been incarcerated since February 2023 and was transferred to Wyoming Correctional Facility later that year. Coleman shared that the strike had prevented her from visiting her husband for the first time in two years, leading to emotional distress for both her and her family.
“He was stopped in a traffic stop, convicted of a weapon, and sentenced to five years in prison. He’s currently waiting on an appeal,” Coleman explained. She highlighted the emotional toll of not being able to visit him during the ongoing strike, calling the situation “heartbreaking.”
As the strike continues, Coleman and other family members of inmates have raised concerns about retaliation and the safety of their loved ones. “People have faced countless amounts of retaliation in these facilities,” Coleman stated, detailing her own experiences where she was threatened with having her husband transferred to another facility for speaking up about mistreatment.
Her concerns echo those of many others, particularly in light of the tragic death of Robert Brooks, an inmate at Marcy Correctional Facility. Coleman stated that the release of body camera footage was crucial in understanding what happened to Brooks, raising fears that similar actions could occur without oversight or accountability.
Correction Officers, Inmates Divided Over NYS Halt Act and Working Conditions
The strike is centered around demands for better working conditions from correction officers, who argue that long hours and difficult conditions have made the job increasingly untenable. At the same time, inmates and their families, like Coleman, express frustration with what they see as unsafe conditions and a lack of accountability for misconduct within the prison system. The situation has led to a sharp divide between correction officers, who are pushing for systemic reforms, and inmates who feel the brunt of the consequences of the strike.
Inmates’ families are now calling for immediate reforms, including the protection of their loved ones from retaliation and mistreatment, as well as the enforcement of more transparency in prison operations. Coleman also referenced the challenges imposed by the New York State Halt Act, which limits certain disciplinary practices. Correction officers have argued that the law’s implementation has made their jobs more difficult, particularly during staffing shortages exacerbated by the strike.
Governor Hochul Calls for End to Illegal Correction Officers’ Strike as National Guard Steps In
Governor Kathy Hochul held a press conference Tuesday to address the ongoing crisis, strongly condemning the illegal walkouts. The governor emphasized the strain the strike was placing on New York’s prison system, particularly with the involvement of the National Guard, which has been called in to temporarily staff facilities and ensure the safety of inmates and officers.
“I want to take a moment to address the illegal walkouts that are occurring at prison facilities all across the State of New York,” Hochul said. “Let me be clear: the illegal actions being taken by a number of individuals are putting the entire state at risk. We need them back to work; this must end immediately.”
Hochul described the strike as a violation of both the New York State Taylor Law and a temporary restraining order mandating that the officers return to their posts. Despite these legal orders, Hochul revealed that many of the officers have refused to return to work. As a result, approximately 6,500 National Guard members have been deployed to staff prisons and ensure that the facilities are secure. Hochul stressed that the situation was particularly dangerous due to the fact that some prisons had been left unguarded, putting the incarcerated population at serious risk.
“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,” the governor continued. “I’ve had to deploy 6,500 members of the National Guard to do the jobs of those who’ve walked out. That means they’ve been taken either from their homes or critical assignments — whether they’re protecting assets in New York City or elsewhere.”
Despite these efforts, Hochul made it clear that the issue was far from resolved. She confirmed that legal proceedings had been initiated against the officers who have participated in the illegal walkout and that their actions were not sanctioned by their union, meaning that union protections and legal coverage would not apply to them. The governor also stated that her administration had tried to address the core issues, including increasing staffing levels and addressing concerns related to the HALT Act, but ultimately called for immediate action from the officers to return to work.
“I understand there’s a lot of frustration about the long hours,” she said. “But we have a situation right now, which is absolutely untenable, especially the fact that there were prisons left unguarded.”
While Hochul acknowledged the difficulty of the job and the challenges correction officers face, she urged officers to return to their posts to help stabilize the situation.
A Call for Resolution and Accountability
As the mediation process continues, both sides are working toward finding common ground. Correction officers want recognition of their challenging working conditions, while inmates’ families are asking for the protection and fair treatment of their loved ones. For many, the hope is that mediation will yield results that both support the officers’ well-being and ensure the safety and humane treatment of those incarcerated.
“We have tried hard to end this,” Hochul concluded. “But we need a good faith effort to resolve this, starting now.”
As the strike continues, families like Coleman’s will be watching closely, hoping for a resolution that allows for safe working conditions for officers and secure, fair environments for inmates. The outcome of the ongoing negotiations will ultimately shape the future of New York’s correctional system, with the well-being of both staff and inmates hanging in the balance.
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