Albany, N.Y. (WBEN) - The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) confirms that the parties in the ongoing wildcat strikes at state prisons have reached a mutual agreement that will return corrections officers to work on Monday, March 10 at 6:45 a.m.
The agreement will take effect upon, at least, 85% of staff returning to work. No strike penalties have been waived in the agreement.
It is unclear whether that 85% threshold would be reached, however.
There has been no organized response from either the union (New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association) or the corrections officers who remain on strike.
The agreement would restore health care benefits to the striking workers who return, and portions of the HALT Act being postponed for 90 days to be reviewed on a facility-by-facility basis.
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The agreement came just hours after talks between the sides had broken down.
“Unfortunately, negotiations ended poorly due to the state’s refusal to ensure that health insurance coverage would be made retroactive to the date of the first AWOL for those who had their coverage terminated,” NYSCOPBA said in a memo to members early Saturday morning.
The status of multiple lawsuits pending on the labor disagreement remain unclear.