Striking NY prison guards could soon "lose everything," Gov. Kathy Hochul warns
Gov. Kathy Hochul had some tough words for New York prison guards in danger of losing their jobs due to their ongoing illegal strike.
The strike has ended at most downstate prisons, but it is continuing in upstate and Western New York, where thousands of corrections workers may soon face fines, be fired and potentially face prosecution.
"They are in violation of the law. We have laws in our books that are supposed to protect us in these situations. Therefore they are violating New York state law at this moment," Hochul said Tuesday morning.
Hochul said she's "very sympathetic" to the concerns of the striking workers, but "there is no justification to break the law in the state of New York and they need to get back to work because they have created a dangerous situation for the other corrections officers who lived up to their duty and their oaths and the law."
The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said Tuesday some 8,000 correction officers and sergeants still participating in the strike, and 2,000 staff have returned to work.
Hochul again warns of "serious consequences"
"They've created very unsafe circumstances. There are serious consequences. We have warned them day after day after day. A lot of warnings, that you could lose your healthcare, the healthcare is gone, people are going to be arrested, you could be going to jail. You've lost your job, you've lost your income, you've lost everything," Hochul said.
Corrections officers at some 32 facilities statewide are participating in the strike, officials said Monday. So far, fewer than 10 officers have been fired, officials said. More termination notices are expected this week.
The walkout began on Feb. 17 after striking workers demanded the state address safety and staffing concerns. Hochul brought in the National Guard to help shore up staff at impacted facilities, and visitation was canceled statewide.
Late Thursday night, Gov. Kathy Hochul said a tentative agreement had been reached to end the strike, which was illegal under state law and not sanctioned by the union.
Concessions and a tentative agreement have not, to date, brought the strike to an end.
