Potential National Guard Deployment: How Wildcat Strikes Are Impacting 25 New York Prisons

New York Governor Kathy Hochul is taking action to address recent strikes by corrections officers in the state. On Tuesday, she indicated she might deploy the National Guard to maintain safety in the prisons. This move comes as protests by officers, demanding better working conditions due to staff shortages, spread to over half of the state’s 42 correctional facilities.

The strikes began on Monday at two upstate prisons and quickly escalated to include 25 sites by Tuesday. The union representing the officers stated that it did not sanction these actions. Hochul condemned the strikes as “illegal and unlawful,” and she is considering enforcing a state law that prevents public employees in New York from striking.

In her statement, the governor emphasized the importance of safety for officers, inmates, and nearby communities. “We will not allow these individuals to jeopardize the safety of their colleagues,” she said.

This situation marks the first significant work stoppage in New York’s prison system since 1979, when officers held a 16-day strike. The recent protests occur amidst heightened scrutiny of the state’s corrections system, sparked by the tragic death of an inmate, Robert Brooks, who was fatally beaten by officers last December at Marcy Correctional Facility near Utica. Charges against some corrections officers involved in Brooks’ death are expected to be announced soon.

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