Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Negotiations between leadership of the New York State Correctional Officers and Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA), the union representing state corrections officers taking part in a wildcat strike, and officials with the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) and representatives of the Governor’s Office continue on Thursday with some potential progress being made between both sides.
WBEN has obtained a memorandum from DOCCS sent to supervisors at correctional facilities with striking corrections officers on Thursday. The document has been confirmed as official.
The memorandum states that on top of the Executive Order signed by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday that authorized the deployment of more than 3,500 members of the National Guard, DOCCS will take additional steps in order to allow the strikes to end and corrections officers to return to work.
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The first proposal listed by DOCCS is the provisions of the HALT legislation permit a temporary suspension of specific elements of the law under "exceptional circumstances" where the circumstances "create a significant and unreasonable risk to the safety and security of other incarcerated persons, staff or the facility."
Accordingly, DOCCS will suspend the elements of the HALT Act that cannot safely be operationalized under a prison-wide state of emergency until prisons can be safely operated.
Also, DOCCS will immediately rescind the "70/30" memorandum dated for Feb. 10, 2025 concerning security staffing reviews.
Among the other items on the memorandum issued on Thursday includes:
- Providing an overtime rate two-and-a-half times the regular rate for employees who continue to work at correctional facilities across the state for the duration of the emergency, as was authorized in the Executive Order, and negotiated between NYSCOPBA and the state to be implemented by the Comptroller's Office.
- Not pursue discipline against any employees who immediately report to work before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, regardless of the employee's schedule or shift, who were participating in the job action.
- The National Guard will remain in place until which time DOCCS can stabilize the operations of the facilities and ensure the safety of officers returning to work, the incarcerated population and the surrounding communities.
In addition, DOCCS ensures corrections officers it will continue to work with union president Chris Summers and the executive board at NYSCOPBA through the agreed upon mediation process to address ongoing recruitment, retention and overall safety issued. as well as the legislature and other stakeholders.
In talks with WBEN's Zach Penque outside the Collins Correctional Facility in the Town of Collins, corrections officers are skeptical of the memorandum, feeling it may only be a bait tactic to get them back to work before rescinding the suspension of the specific elements of the HALT Act.
Other corrections officers tell WBEN they still have a list of other demands they intend to get addressed to further ensure safety and better working conditions inside these state-run facilities.
Stay tuned for the latest on this developing story...