New York Targets Striking Workers Instead Of Fixing Dangerous Conditions

New York’s corrections officers are demanding safer working conditions, but instead of listening, Gov. Kathy Hochul has chosen to crack down on them with threats of arrests and financial penalties. The strike, which has now lasted over a week, has seen thousands of officers walk off the job in protest of unsafe conditions, long hours, and policies that have made their jobs more dangerous.

Hochul, however, has framed the strike as an illegal work stoppage and has taken legal action against those participating. On Tuesday, she confirmed that 380 workers had already been served legal notices and could soon face arrest. “The proceedings have started,” Hochul told reporters, adding that state police were delivering notices to officers. Marcos Gonzalez Soler, her deputy secretary for public safety, warned that all 15,000 striking workers could be targeted, saying, “We will go to catch every single one of them until they’ve returned to work.”

In addition to legal threats, Hochul has moved to cut off state-funded health insurance for strikers and is docking their pay at twice the usual rate for every day they remain off the job. She has also deployed 6,500 National Guard members to fill in for missing staff and has begun moving prisoners between facilities due to staffing shortages.

The strike started at Collins Correctional Facility in Erie County and quickly spread as officers across the state voiced concerns about rising violence and severe understaffing. Officers have pointed to policies like the HALT Act, which limits the use of solitary confinement, as making prisons more dangerous. A memo from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) recently circulated, stating that “70% of our original staffing model is the new 100%” and instructing officials to reduce staff wherever possible.

While the state has made some offers, including pay incentives and rolling back certain policies, striking workers remain wary. Hochul’s harsh response, including her threats to arrest workers, has led many to doubt whether the governor is negotiating in good faith. Instead of addressing why the strike happened in the first place, she appears more focused on punishing those who dare to challenge her administration.

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