Prison Strike 2025

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 ... more

New York is pursuing contempt of court rulings against a select group of correction officers who joined an illegal strike earlier this year, according to Spectrum News. At a hearing Monday, state attorneys said they ... more

The state’s budget fight over prison reforms has taken another turn with an overtime pay extension for corrections staff, highlighting the widening divide between Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration and the powerful corrections union. Hochul and ... more

Most New York prisons, including Auburn and Cayuga correctional facilities, reopened to visitors after a three-week correction officer strike ended on March 10, The Citizen reported. The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision warned visits ... more

More than 2,000 former New York correction officers could soon return to work in county jails after Governor Kathy Hochul reversed course on a proposed lifetime ban tied to last month’s historic prison strike. However, ... more

Roughly 2,000 fired New York correction officers may now work in county jails after Gov. Kathy Hochul reversed course on a proposed lifetime ban, according to the Times Union. The officers lost their peace officer ... more

New York is easing up on its legal pursuit of correction officers who joined an unauthorized prison strike earlier this year, according to attorney Ralph Lorigo. Initially, the state sought jail time and financial penalties ... more

Gov. Kathy Hochul defended her response to a widespread correction officer strike, emphasizing a need to "redo" the prison system. Her decision to temporarily suspend elements of the HALT Act, which limits solitary confinement, has ... more

A Cayuga County legislator revealed that 200 correction officers lost their jobs at Auburn and Cayuga correctional facilities following a statewide strike, according to new reporting by The Citizen. The firings were part of a ... more

Over 2,000 New York correction officers were fired after a prison strike, including many who were on medical or family leave. Among them was Jerri Cottrell, who the Times Union in Albany recently profiled. She ... more

After stepping in during a 22-day prison worker strike, National Guard members deployed to New York prisons will receive additional compensation, including $2,000 in special duty pay every two weeks and a basic housing allowance ... more

Governor Kathy Hochul has outlined her administration’s plan to “recover, recruit, and rebuild” New York’s correctional system following the end of a 22-day illegal work stoppage by state correction officers. Speaking on Tuesday, Hochul reaffirmed ... more

Gov. Kathy Hochul has barred workers who participated in the recent prison wildcat strike from being hired for state service jobs. Announcing the executive order Tuesday, she also recommended their removal from the Central Registry ... more

After weeks of striking, Auburn Correctional Facility officers returned to work under difficult circumstances, but community support remained strong. Local business owner Tonya DeTomaso told WSYR while standing outside the prison she had concerns over ... more

New York’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) Commissioner Daniel Martuscello confirmed Monday that the 22-day statewide correction officer strike has officially ended. While more than 5,000 officers returned to work, over 2,000 were ... more

Just minutes before the 6:45 a.m. deadline, dozens of Auburn correction officers crossed the street back to work, some escorted by a retiree holding an American flag. Others exchanged hugs before entering the facility, marking ... more

New York correction officers are set to return to work Monday following a new agreement with the state’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. The deal requires at least 85% of staff to report back ... more

New York’s correctional system is on the brink of collapse, according to critics of state policies that have restricted the ability of prison officials to discipline violent inmates. The ongoing strike by correctional officers has ... more

The standoff between correction officers and New York State continues, as union leaders rejected a state-brokered deal aimed at ending the nearly three-week strike. Despite growing pressure, including threats of termination and loss of health ... more