GROVELAND, N.Y. – Corrections officers are still on strike at Groveland Correctional Facility in Livingston County on Friday after state leaders gave what they called their final warning.

The state’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said guards would be fired if they didn’t accept the state’s “third and final” deal on working conditions and return to their regularly scheduled shifts on Friday. That announcement came during a Thursday news conference.

News10NBC went to Groveland to see whether the guards had returned to work for their scheduled 6:45 a.m. shift before the deadline. However, as people walking the picket line pointed out, the staff parking lot outside the prison wasn’t nearly as full as it normally would be for the start of the shift.

The strikes entered their 18th day on Friday. Staff are still on strike at 32 of the state’s 42 prisons at last check and state leaders say they’re pursuing criminal and civil action to end the strike, including possible charges against striking staff. The state is also threatening fines of hundreds of dollars a day.

“We are prepared to and we will exercise all of our rights and all remedies, criminal and civil, to end this illegal strike, and we will take action against those who continue to refuse to return to work illegally,” said Commissioner Jackie Bray of the Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services.

What’s in the “third and final” deal?

Guards went on strike to demand higher staffing levels, regulations on mandated overtime, and increased measures to protect them from being assaulted. 

A deal has been on the table since Thursday night of last week, when the union representing corrections officers reached a deal with DOCCS on working conditions. Staff had until that Saturday to return to work without consequences. However, people walking the picket line told News10NBC that the deal doesn’t do enough to ensure their safety. Much of those safety concerns revolve around the HALT Act.

The union was not involved in negotiating the newest deal. Instead, it’s between state leaders and individual corrections officers. Like the first deal, it agrees to eliminate mandatory 24-hour overtime shifts, screen prison mail with technology to check for hazardous substances such as drugs, and implement programs to recruit more staff. You can read the full deal here:

Also like the first deal, it suspends some parts of the HALT Act for at least 90 days. The HALT Act limits solitary to 15 straight days and bans solitary for pregnant people, those with disabilities, and anyone older than 55 or younger than 21.

Advocates say the HALT Act creates more humane punishment. But corrections officers say there is no longer a deterrent to dangerous behavior and the HALT Act has led to an increase in inmates assaulting staff since it went into effect in 2022. They also say the act is contributing to staffing shortages.

What is the union saying about the third deal?

NYSCOPBA, the union representing the corrections officers, said it wasn’t involved with negotiating the third deal. The union did not authorize the strike. Here is the statement from the union from Thursday:

“Yesterday, in our press conference,  we stated that there were outside parties interjecting themselves into negotiations on behalf of our members at selected facilities who continue to refuse to go to work.   Many concessions that are being reportedly agreed upon,  are already included in the mediator’s consent award that NYSCOPBA leaders negotiated with DOCCS and the State of New York last week.” 

“NYSCOPBA was not appropriately engaged in the development of the currently circulating agreement. This agreement was not negotiated with NYSCOPBA—the legally recognized entity through which all negotiations must be conducted. There are substantial legal issues that must be addressed, and as presented, this agreement does not represent the best interests of our membership.”

“At this time, NYSCOPBA will not be signing this agreement. However, we are actively working to engage DOCCS and New York State in reopening the Consent Award process with the mediator. This approach would ensure that any resulting Consent Award is legally binding in court.”

Are National Guard members still helping in prison?

Thousands of National Guard members are still deployed to prisons across the state to help with daily operations during the strikes. On Friday morning, we saw people in uniform get off a bus at Groveland.

Some corrections officers have returned to work at prisons that are still on strike. On Thursday, News10NBC was at Attica Correctional Facility and saw working corrections officers embracing and shaking hands with striking corrections officers.

What punishments has the state given so far?

Already, over 5,200 corrections officers have lost health insurance coverage and at least 20 have been fired because they continue to strike. After reaching the deal, the state gave staff until Saturday, March 1 to accept it and return to work or be fired. Now, nearly a week later, the state is preparing to pursue criminal and civil action to try to end the strikes.

RELATED:

• Corrections officer with FMLA has health insurance canceled amid strike, leaving wife without chemo treatment (March 6)
• Striking Attica prison guards return to work amid ongoing protests, retired CO warns of ‘rude awakening’ for state (March 6)
• Photos show National Guard sleeping on cots, mats in NY prisons amid corrections officer strike (March 3)
• Health insurance ending for corrections officers still on strike; National Guard still deployed (March 3)
• Prison guards at Groveland Correctional Facility face threats of job loss, penalties as they strike for better conditions (March 3)
• Tentative agreement reached between union and state leaders, aiming to end prison staff strikes (Feb. 28)
• Inmate describes ‘kid proportions’ meals and lack of programs amid ongoing prison strike (Feb. 25)

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