Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Day 1 of mediation concluded late Monday afternoon between leadership with the New York State Correctional Officers and Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA), the union representing the corrections officers on strike across the state, and the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS).
In a statement released by union president Chris Summers, he says NYSCOPBA leadership outlined the need for many operational changes within the prison system across New York State. Some of those changes include:
- An immediate suspension of certain provisions of the HALT Act during the staffing crisis;
- Potential legislative changes to permanently change HALT;
- The elimination of triple shifts;
- Legal mail scanning;
- Body scanner changes;
- No departmental discipline for members considered absent without official leave (AWOL);
- Increased recruitment efforts and incentives to bolster staffing.
Summers says discussions at the mediation table also surrounded issues with how the state has ordered members on various form of approved leave back prematurely. He says the union has been successful in coming to an agreement for those members.
In addition, Summers says additional days of mediation are scheduled this week, and a lot of additional issues will be discussed at the table.
Meanwhile, DOCCS officials released a similar statement, saying there were extensive discussions with the state and the department on the need for many similar operational changes outlined by NYSCOPBA.
DOCCS also makes note in their statement that they began moving inmates out of Collins Correctional Facility on Monday to other facilities to ease the staffing crisis at that prison.
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Mediation discussions will continue on Tuesday.
Stay tuned for the latest with this developing story...