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By: Hal C Clarke
Two upstate New York prisons descended into turmoil Monday as corrections officers staged illegal strikes in protest of deteriorating work conditions following a violent inmate uprising last week, NY Post reported.
The unauthorized work stoppages took place at Collins and Elmira correctional facilities, leading to a suspension of visitation at both locations. Under New York law, such strikes are illegal and could result in severe consequences for both individuals and the unions involved.
Tensions at the medium-security Collins Correctional Facility had been mounting since last week’s disturbance, during which three guards were injured by inmates. The incident fueled growing frustrations over understaffing and mandatory overtime, exacerbated by a recent Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) memo suggesting potential staffing reductions.
DOCCS spokesman Thomas Mailey condemned the strikes, calling them unlawful.
“The job actions initiated by some rogue NYSCOPBA [NYS Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association] members at Collins and Elmira Correctional Facilities this morning are illegal and unlawful,” Mailey said in a statement.
“We are committed to engaging the union in order to return staff to work and resume normal operations at the two facilities. Visitation at both facilities has been canceled until further notice.”
Despite the union’s name being linked to the strike, NYSCOPBA distanced itself from the job actions, asserting it had not sanctioned them.
“The staff that have gathered outside of both facilities, and who refused to enter the facility for their respective shifts, was not in any way sanctioned by NYSCOPBA,” the union stated.
“At both facilities, staff chose to not enter for their work shifts as a result of their discontentment with current working conditions.”
At least one state lawmaker has thrown his support behind the protesting officers.
“The dangerous and deteriorating working conditions within our state prisons have reached a crisis point,” said state Sen. George Borrello (R-Jamestown).
“These unsafe environments have led to countless injuries among the corrections staff, severely impacting both their physical well-being and morale.”
Borrello criticized Governor Kathy Hochul and the state legislature for failing to address the ongoing crisis.
“The overworked, underappreciated personnel continue to face daily hazards, all while enduring the incompetence of a governor who fails to act and a legislature that, driven by pro-criminal policies, offers no relief,” he said.
The strike comes amid ongoing tensions within the state’s corrections system. The current contract for the union’s 17,000 members, which was negotiated with Hochul’s administration last year, remains in effect through March 31, 2026.
The protests at Collins and Elmira come during an especially turbulent period for New York’s prison system.
According to NY Post, an indictment is expected this week in connection with the brutal killing of inmate Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility near Utica late last year. The Albany Times Union reported that Brooks’ father, Robert Ricks, testified before lawmakers in Albany last week, demanding justice for his son’s death, which was allegedly at the hands of prison guards.
The case has intensified scrutiny of DOCCS leadership. Last week, state lawmakers grilled Commissioner Daniel Martuscello over the incident, with some even calling for Marcy Correctional’s closure.
Meanwhile, the corrections union has clashed with state officials over recent prison shutdowns. Last year, DOCCS shuttered two facilities, and budget negotiations paved the way for up to five additional closures.
