Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is demanding answers from Governor Kathy Hochul over the fallout of this year’s statewide prison strike, accusing the governor of ignoring repeated warnings from correctional officers and letting the crisis spiral.
In a Wednesday statement, Stefanik said Hochul “turned her back” on law enforcement and allowed unrest to “wreak havoc,” pointing to a post-strike report by the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA). The union alleges that state leaders, including Hochul, were shown evidence of rising tensions as early as February but failed to act.
Strikes began February 17, 2025, disrupting operations in prisons across New York. Stefanik said the walkouts triggered mass firings—around 2,000 correction officers—and forced the state to spend an estimated $100 million per month covering staffing shortages. She also faulted Hochul for deploying New York National Guard troops to fill the gaps, claiming they entered facilities with “no training.”
State pushes back on ‘no training’ claim
A spokesperson for Hochul disputed Stefanik’s characterization, saying National Guard members did receive preparation before deployment.
“Initially in February 2025, local training was conducted to ensure service members understood their responsibilities at each prison,” the spokesperson said. “Since then, DMNA working with DOCCS has developed a specialized training course. More than 2,200 service members have completed it across 128 classes.”
The spokesperson added: “Unlike Congresswoman Stefanik, Governor Hochul does not condone breaking the law. Corrections officers who joined the illegal work stoppage knowingly put both the incarcerated population and their fellow officers at risk. Instead of issuing empty statements, Governor Hochul will keep focusing on real reforms that improve conditions for everyone in DOCCS facilities.”
Reforms and agreements following strike
State officials outlined a series of measures taken since the strike, including:
- Salary increases: Correction Officer and Sergeant titles were raised one grade, boosting pay ranges. A $5,000 geographic pay differential was also approved statewide.
- HALT Act adjustments: Temporary suspension of certain programming under the HALT Solitary Confinement Act, with a “circuit breaker” staffing metric set to guide reintroduction.
- Staffing and overtime relief: 12-hour shifts extended during recovery, 2.5x overtime for 30 days, and rescission of the “70/30” staffing memorandum.
- Health insurance: Reinstated for striking employees who returned under the March 6 memorandum of agreement.
- Recruitment initiatives: Sign-on and referral bonuses, expanded advertising campaigns, and new regional recruitment programs. The hiring age was lowered from 21 to 18, with added training and mentorship.
The administration also confirmed that the National Guard remains on standby at Hochul’s discretion, gradually drawing down as staffing stabilizes.
Next steps
NYSCOPBA continues to press for long-term changes, including higher salary reallocation and revisions to HALT requirements. Stefanik, meanwhile, insists Hochul must “answer directly” for what she knew about the strike buildup and why she did not act sooner.
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