NY prison guard strike has Gov. Kathy Hochul threatening to send in National Guard

[Omaha Steve]

Source: CBS News

By Renee Anderson

Updated on: February 19, 2025 / 2:24 PM EST / CBS/AP

A New York prison guard strike entered its third day Wednesday, and Gov. Kathy Hochul is threatening to deploy National Guard troops to restore order.

The governor said in a statement Tuesday if the strike does not end, she is preparing to send in the National Guard and take disciplinary action. She is also looking into legal recourse, like the state's Taylor law, which compels employees to return to work.

"The illegal and unlawful actions being taken by a number of correction officers must end immediately. We will not allow these individuals to jeopardize the safety of their colleagues, incarcerated people, and the residents of communities surrounding our correctional facilities," Hochul said in a statement Tuesday. "I have directed my Administration to meet with union leadership to resolve this situation and have also ordered the National Guard be mobilized to secure our correctional facilities in the event it is not resolved by tomorrow. Correction officers do difficult work under challenging circumstances, and I have consistently fought for them to have better pay and working conditions and will continue to do so."

What the corrections officers want
Some staff have reportedly refused to show up for their shifts at 25 of the state's 42 prisons, including at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Westchester County, where a group of corrections officers were seen picketing on Wednesday morning.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/ny-prison-guard-strike-national-guard/

[Dennis Donovan]

1. The National Guard is already at Auburn Correctional Facility:

The Citizen - National Guard arrives at Auburn prison after being deployed by Hochul

Robert Harding Feb 19, 2025 Updated 1 hr ago

Gov. Kathy Hochul has deployed National Guard personnel to Auburn Correctional Facility amid a correction officer strike affecting most state prisons.

Striking officers observed the National Guard members entering the prison Wednesday. Hochul said Tuesday that she would send National Guard personnel to secure the prisons if the strike continued Wednesday.

Auburn correction officers were on strike for a second day after beginning their protest Tuesday. The strike began Monday at three prisons before it expanded to at least 25 facilities.

/snip

[C0RI0LANUS]

2. The irony is rich.

These state correctional officers are mostly Republican, profiting from the "prison-industrial complex" where white rural men with HS educations receive pension careers and peace officer status while incarcerating men of color from the cities. This blueprint can be found in other states, such as Wisconsin.

Now these unionized prison guards are using a labor tactic?

Gov. Hochul can deploy any of several NYARNG MP units to these prisons. See list in link below:

Link:

https://dmna.ny.gov/units/?group=Unit&group=City



NYARNG MP soldier ready to engage target at the shooting range. (Photo: US Army)

[kelly1mm]

3. Yesterday thinking about removing a duly elected Democrat mayor of the US largest city. Today thinking about union

busting. Not an easy week for Gov. Hochul.

[Number9Dream]

4. The union did not authorize the strike

snip> "According to the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA), the union did not authorize the strike."

https://www.news10.com/news/ny-news/corrections-officers-strike-at-elmira-collins-prisons/

[kelly1mm]

5. Technically true, but they had to say that since public employees cannot officially strike in NYS. (Taylor Law). nt

[bluestarone]

6. I am pro union. but If the union did not authorize it, gives me a feeling that maybe

TSF is somehow behind this? I'll wait and see how it plays out, but this is not good.

[kelly1mm]

8. The union can't authorize the strike since strikes by public employees in NY are illegal per the Taylor Law. nt

[regrestic]

7. Union did not

authorize this strike. National Guard is coming into Attica CF. A judge just ordered them back to work. Will see how this plays out... Remember a NYS employee cannot strike. If they do then they can be fined 2 days pay for every day on strike..

[kelly1mm]

9. The union legally can't 'authorize' the strike since strikes by public employees are illegal in NY per the Taylor law.