Alden, N.Y. (WBEN) - As corrections officers continue their statewide strike for safer and better working conditions at correctional facilities across New York, support for those on the picket lines have come from near-and-far. But it's the support closest to home that continues to fuel striking COs in their fight for better work environments inside state-run prisons.
The families of striking corrections officers have been behind them from the start at facilities across New York, and it has even seen husbands, wives, parents, and even their children taking to the protests in support of their loved ones.
"I was out here the first day with him, the very first day, and then I've been out here throughout as I've been able to," said the wife of one anonymous corrections officer in an interview with WBEN. "We said 100% it's not worth it. He's already been injured twice, he's been on workers comp for 12 of the 13 years he's been with DOCCS [Department of Corrections and Community Supervision]. I've taken him to over 200 appointments, he's had, at least, two surgeries. So absolutely I'll be out here, I've been with him through all of it."
The wife says it's imperative to have a supportive family in order to be a corrections officer in New York.
"You never know when you're going to get home, who's going to pick the kids up from school, who's going to take care of the groceries. That's just part of the job, and this is just another day," she said while protesting at Wende Correctional Facility in the Town of Alden. "The only thing that's been nice the last two weeks is I don't have to worry about my husband getting hurt coming home from work, because he's been out at the strike site. And many of these officers have been at our house to help us with everything. One of them drove my husband to the hospital when I was in a car accident when I was seven months pregnant. They've been there for us and for each other through it all."
The wife says due to her husband's one injury while on the job, he was unable to even hold his one child until she was 3-months-old.
"He had lifting restrictions. He had neck surgery, and he could not hold her at all," she noted. "Our oldest daughter, when she would see him at about a year old, one of her first words was 'sick', because she would point to him and know that he was injured. So the kids have been with it from the beginning, they understand."
As strikes continues Thursday across the state, the union representing corrections officers, the New York State Correctional Officers and Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA), concluded its mediation with DOCCS, resulting in a Consent Award that will be presented to the striking workers.
This Consent Award would make the terms of the agreement legally enforceable, and would require officers to return to work before a deadline or face possible termination by DOCCS.
NYSCOPBA is encouraging its members to closely review the document, and is urging membership to accept it and return to work. The document will not be subject to a vote, as the strike was not sanctioned by the union.
"As your union, we must strongly encourage you to end the strike and return to work," union leadership said late Thursday night.
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While it appears the striking corrections officers may be heading back to work, she feels no matter what comes of it, these COs are ready to continue striking, if they elect to, for as long as it takes to achieve the entire goal of the protests: A safe work environment.
"These guys have nothing to lose. Right now, they're safe, they're healthy. They have no injuries. Going behind the wall, you could risk any of that at any time," she said.
"I shouldn't have to worry about my husband getting hurt at work. There's no reason for it. It has been safe in the past. There are laws in place that protect employees to have a safe workplace. There's been several complaints about safety through the state, through the facility, and it shows that there's a history of safety issues at all the DOCCS facilities."
She adds the support from several in the local communities housing these correctional facilities is not surprising in the slightest.
"These guys are volunteer firefighters, they help in their community, they volunteer. They help each other out, they help their neighbors out, their community out. So it's no surprise at all that they're being overwhelmed with donations to the point that they're able to give back to food banks and other organizations," she said.
And no matter how long this strike may carry on for, she knows that other families will continue to show up on site and protest with their loved ones until it is ultimately resolved.
"We're behind them 100%. We're holding down the fort at home, we're bringing the kids to the sites when we can, when they're not in school. Our entire family knows what's going on, as well as everyone else," she added. "We've been here from Day 1, from when they first started at DOCCS, and we're going to be here until they finish."