ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — On Friday, the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association—the union for correction officers at state-run prisons—asked for an urgent meeting with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the agency that runs those prisons and oversees inmates. It’s the latest in the fallout from the 22-day strike, and NYSCOPBA wants to address problems like low staffing levels and unsafe work conditions.
The union also expressed concerns over plans to free thousands of people who are incarcerated up to 110 days early. DOCCS Commissioner Daniel Martuscello confirmed the plan, which detractors say will worsen public safety.
NYSCOPBA said the problems include 12‑hour shifts, irregular scheduled days off, and reduced vacation periods. They said that, since January 2023, staffing levels have dropped by over 2,000 officers through attrition and a failure to recruit. The union also noted that Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision to fire 2,000 officers during the unsanctioned strike severely worsened the understaffing problem that caused the strike.
The union pointed to longstanding issues in New York’s correctional system. NYSCOPBA leaders have warned that the early release of inmates and the dismissal of criminal cases under 2019 pretrial discovery laws have let too many criminals walk free.
“We are deeply disappointed by the Department’s refusal to engage in a productive conversation about these critical issues,” said NYSCOPBA President Chris Summers. “Our members safety and the safety of the communities they serve should be a priority.”
According to the union, the issues affecting correctional officers demand lasting solutions rather than temporary fixes. They said the law Martuscello used to justify the early releases—Section 73 of New York State Correction Law—was meant to address overcrowding, not understaffing.
Martuscello said the law gave him the flexibility to adjust in crisis situations like this when he announced that inmates who met strict criteria would be transferred to residential treatment status. It said only prisoners with 15 to 110 days remaining on their sentence and an approved residence—not a shelter or social services placement—qualify.
NYSCOPBA also wants fired officers to be reinstated. Requests for comment from the governor’s office and DOCCS went unanswered as of press time.
Hochul and DOCCS deemed the 22-day strike an illegal violation of the Taylor Law. The union never endorsed the strike, which came after growing concerns over understaffing, mandatory overtime, contraband, dangerous prisoners, and difficulties managing the HALT Act restrictions introduced in 2022.
After several talks between union leaders, DOCCS, and the governor’s office, officials still refused a proper meeting with NYSCOPBA, according to the union. A departmental memo ordered facility superintendents to work with local union representatives on the issues, which union leaders said was a slap in the face.
Related video below on Legal Aid report showing the strike’s toll on prisoners:
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