New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced late Thursday that an agreement has been reached to end the wildcat prison worker strike that has disrupted the state’s prison system for over a week.
The deal, negotiated after four days of mediation talks, includes binding terms that require striking correctional workers to return to their posts by Saturday to avoid disciplinary action. The agreement, detailed in a seven-page memo by mediator Martin Scheinman, aims to address key worker concerns, including staffing shortages and excessive overtime demands.
Key Concessions for Correctional Workers
Under the terms of the agreement:
- Overtime pay will temporarily increase to 2.5 times regular pay instead of the usual 1.5 times for the next month.
- The state will complete its analysis within four months on a pay grade adjustment for officers and sergeants.
- A controversial prison reform law, which limits the use of solitary confinement, will be suspended for 90 days while the state evaluates its impact on safety.
- A committee will be formed to study staffing inefficiencies at each facility and find ways to reduce strain on workers.
Governor Hochul: Safety is the Top Priority
Hochul emphasized that the mediated settlement provides solutions to workers’ concerns while ensuring the state prison system operates safely.
“My top priority is the safety of all New Yorkers, and for the past 11 days, I have deployed every possible State resource to protect the well-being of correction officers, the incarcerated population, and local communities across New York,” Hochul stated.
The New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, Inc., the union representing the striking workers, has not yet responded to requests for comment.
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Mediator Highlights Strained Relationship Between State and Union
Mediator Martin Scheinman, who has experience as the permanent arbitrator for Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League, acknowledged the long-standing tensions between the state and correctional workers.
“No single issue, law, or policy entirely explains the current situation. It is obvious this erosion did not happen all at once,” Scheinman wrote in the memo explaining the agreement.
National Guard to Gradually Withdraw from Prisons
During the strike, Governor Hochul deployed the National Guard to cover for striking workers, as the job action violated state laws prohibiting strikes by public employees. Several inmates reportedly died during the work stoppage.
As correctional officers return, the National Guard presence will be reduced, though remaining troops will continue to help prevent workers from being forced into 24-hour overtime shifts.
The agreement marks a significant step toward restoring order in New York’s prison system while addressing long-standing concerns of correctional officers.
