New York's striking corrections officers, sergeants named in court filings
The state of New York is naming names in court filings, trying to force an end to the illegal strike by corrections officers and sergeants.
The move is raising anxiety on the picket line.
Faces hidden at Sing Sing in Ossining
More than a week into their strike, those on the line Wednesday were hiding their faces as they picketed at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in the Westchester County town of Ossining.
"Well, our governor has made several threats about having these guys arrested because of the Taylor Law. Some of them have been served at home. No one here wants to show their face," strike spokesman Israel Sanchez said.
The Taylor Law prohibits strikes by public employees. Earlier this week, the state added the names of 300 correction workers to a court filing, a step towards having them held in contempt of a return-to-work order, and possibly arrested.
"More threats to scare our guys into going back to work," Sanchez said.
The correction officers and sergeants signed a new contract just last year. The strike is happening without approval from their union. Mediation to end the strike is so far making limited progress.
What the officers and sergeants want
Gov. Kathy Hochul said 90% of correction officers and sergeants walked off the job at almost 40 prisons across the state. They're demanding New York roll back the so-called "HALT reforms" that reduced solitary confinement.
Assaults on staff have jumped significantly since the HALT Act took effect in 2022. That's hurting recruiting and forcing the officers to work mandatory overtime, sometimes 24 hours straight.
Visitation at all state prisons has been cancelled, and incarcerated people are spending long hours in confinement.
A woman named Melanie, whose son is incarcerated at Five Points Correctional Facility in the Finger lakes region of upstate New York, said, "It is lockdown. It is 100% lockdown."
Melanie is active with the prison reform group Center for Community Alternatives.
"These guys are suffering trauma in the facilities. Not gonna make anyone safer. I see both sides of the issue. I think that it's important we come together, all have the same goal, which is safety for the correctional officers and safety for the people in the facilities," she said.
