From the Office of NYS Governor Kathy Hochul,
Governor Committed to Safe, Secure Correctional Facilities and Has Ordered the Mobilization of the New York National Guard To Staff Facilities if Illegal Job Action Does Not End Tomorrow
Governor Has Provided Significant Support To Correction Officers, Including Increased Salaries and Benefits, Contraband Crackdowns, and Expanded Recruitment Efforts
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced preparations to utilize the New York National Guard to protect correction officers who are currently on the job, individuals in DOCCS care and the communities surrounding these correctional facilities. The Governor also directed Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Commissioner Daniel Martuscello and senior Administration officials to meet with leaders from the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association to call for an end to the unlawful work stoppage that is causing significant public safety concerns across New York.
“The illegal and unlawful actions being taken by a number of correction officers must end immediately,” Governor Hochul said. “We will not allow these individuals to jeopardize the safety of their colleagues, incarcerated people, and the residents of communities surrounding our correctional facilities. I have directed my Administration to meet with union leadership to resolve this situation and have also ordered the National Guard be mobilized to secure our correctional facilities in the event it is not resolved by tomorrow. Correction officers do difficult work under challenging circumstances, and I have consistently fought for them to have better pay and working conditions and will continue to do so.”
Governor Hochul is preparing to deploy members of the New York National Guard to DOCCS facilities tomorrow if the unlawful work stoppage does not end, and will begin to take appropriate disciplinary action as necessary. The Governor has also directed her Counsel to work with the Office of the Attorney General on legal mechanisms such as the Taylor Law which will compel employees to return to work.
NYS Senator George Borrello reacted to the move by the Governor:
“What does Governor Hochul’s tone-deaf press release reveal? It shows she either doesn’t get it or simply doesn’t care about the real issues our correctional staff are facing. This isn’t about money. This is about the lack of safety and egregious violations of labor protections that every other employer in the state must follow.
Hochul’s shameful silence on the deplorable conditions in our state’s prisons speaks volumes. The state employees, including correctional officers, whom she is obligated to protect, face daily dangers due to conditions intentionally imposed by a radical far-left legislature and her own administration. Instead of stepping up as the leader she claims to be and responding to the reasonable concerns of corrections officers, she has chosen to deploy the New York National Guard as a strike-busting force-a move that’s as cowardly as it is ineffective.
By deploying the National Guard, she’s not only dismissing the officers’ legitimate concerns but also sets a dangerous precedent for handling labor disputes in our state. Correctional officers are on the front lines, working under incredibly challenging conditions, and their strike is a desperate cry for help, highlighting the urgent need for better working conditions and adequate staffing. By choosing to threaten and intimidate those who are standing up for their rights and safety, the Governor fails to address the root causes of the strike. Deploying the National Guard is a heavy-handed tactic, not a solution. Her actions show that she’s more interested in punishing those fighting for a safer workplace than in actually solving the crisis at hand.”
