Recover, recruit, rebuild: Hochul offers update on future of state's correctional system following end of work stoppage

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday provided an update on the future of New York state’s correctional system following the end of what she called the 22-day "illegal" work stoppage, “creating a path to recover, recruit and rebuild the system moving forward.”

Her team said, “The end of the strike follows four attempts at an agreement between DOCCS and NYSCOPBA that seriously addressed concerns regarding safety and compensation. More than 10,000 security personnel are currently working at correctional facilities at this time, answering the call of duty to protect their colleagues, their communities and the individuals in their custody. Over 6,000 National Guard service members continue to be deployed to maintain safety and security alongside the security and civilian staff.”

The governor also signed an executive order barring the hiring into state service of individuals who are participating in the strike.

“My top priority is the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers – and I have been working around-the-clock to end this illegal work stoppage and restore safety in our correctional system,” Hochul said. “We have taken unprecedented steps to protect public safety, and I am grateful to the National Guard and DOCCS personnel who stayed on the job, going above and beyond to protect their fellow New Yorkers. Today, we can finally say this work stoppage is over and move forward towards making our prisons safer for all, supporting our correctional staff, and recruiting the correction officers of the future.”

When the walkout began, Hochul deployed public safety resources “to ensure the safety of civilian DOCCS personnel, correction officers who remain on the job, the incarcerated population and the surrounding community,” her team said. “The governor mobilized more than 6,000 National Guard service members across the state to staff prison facilities and authorized additional compensation for National Guard in recognition of their critical work.”

On Saturday, DOCCS and NYSCOPBA reached the fourth and final agreement to end the walkout. Despite not meeting the 85% return threshold, the state is recognizing components of this agreement, as well as the March 6 agreement, in full. Components of the agreements that the state will honor include:

√ Allowing the commissioner of DOCCS to exercise his existing discretion under the HALT Act and continue the temporary suspension of the programming elements of the HALT Act for 90 days from the date of the MOA.

√ Minimizing and working toward eliminating 24-hour mandatory overtime.

√ Establishing a committee to analyze each facility's staffing and operational inefficiencies with the goal of providing more relief to existing staff.

√ DOCCS shall not issue notices of discipline under the collective bargaining agreement for an employee who engaged in the strike so long as the employee returned to work by the deadline.

√ Reiterating rescission of the 70/30 memo.

√ Immediately reinstating the health insurance of any returning employee.

√ Continue to pay the 2.5 times overtime rate originally established by mutual agreement on Feb. 20 for 30 days from the date of the MOA.

√ Allowing employees to purchase health insurance covering the full state share and employee share to the first day of AWOL/terminated health insurance.

√ Establishing a committee comprised of representatives of NYSCOPВА and DOCCS and other parties to present recommendations to the New York State Legislature regarding changes to the HALT Act.

Any employee who did not report to work yesterday will be terminated, with about 2,000 termination notices going out. Hochul also signed an executive order establishing a policy barring the hiring into state service of individuals who are participating in the strike and recommending their removal from the Central Registry of Police and Peace Officers for cause, which would prevent them from being hired as a police or peace officer in state and local jurisdictions.

Attention now turns to the future to support staff at correctional facilities and recruiting the correction officers of the future. New York continues to expand efforts to increase recruitment and hiring of new correction officers. This includes:

√ Supporting correction officer trainees at New York’s Correction Officer Academy;

√ Introducing Article 7 language in this year’s executive budget to amend the public officers law, in relation to residency requirements for certain positions as a correction officer, allowing recruiting from other states, which would greatly expand the number of potential applicants;

√ DOCCS has contracted with OGS Media Services on a large-scale social media recruitment campaign that includes a multi-channel approach including social media, multicultural digital, streaming audio, video and static ads to better familiarize the public on DOCCS mission. The campaign went live in February 2025 targeting upstate NY community college campuses and military bases;

√ DOCCS statewide recruitment unit has been running recruitment centers in various locations and currently is operating recruitment centers in the Destiny USA mall (Syracuse) and Champlain Centre mall (Plattsburgh);

√ DOCCS launched an advanced placement initiative to attract applicants with correction officer experience into our correction officer ranks at a pay rate commensurate to their experience.

√ In February 2025, the DOCCS recruitment unit collectively attended a total of 157 career fair and table events across colleges, high schools and community events;

√ In July 2024, the department launched “CNY200,” a regional hiring incentive promoting direct placement of correction officer recruits to vacancies – a program that has been expanded to eight counties; and

√ The DOCCS recruitment team launched a new initiative to increase DOCCS applications into the NYS HELPs program, by collecting electronic resumes at career and community events and disseminating them to the facilities in their regions.

Senate Republicans call for nationalization of National Guard members in New York’s prisons

On Monday, New York State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt; Sen. Jake Ashby, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs; along with Sen. Mark Walczyk and members of the Senate Republican Conference, sent a letter to President Donald Trump and Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, requesting federal activation under Title 10 of the New York State National Guard troops who have been deployed to maintain order in prisons.

Ortt’s team said, “Doing so would guarantee the Guard members called to serve in New York prisons will be protected with the same benefits and legal protections as active military members and ensure comprehensive health coverage, including receiving a disability rating to authorize continuing care through the VA. Currently, they are serving under state orders and are not eligible for certain federal benefits.”

“Our National Guardsmen step up in times of crisis and play a vital role in keeping order, especially when the situation becomes dangerous due to circumstances lik​e unsafe working conditions in prisons,” Ortt said. “Ensuring they have full benefits and adequate support if injured while carrying out their duties is crucial. They risk their lives to protect and serve, and it’s our responsibility to make sure they’re taken care of physically, mentally and financially. This includes proper health care, compensation, and rehabilitation services for any harm they might face while working under these high-risk conditions. It’s the least we can do to honor their service.”

Ashby said, "Let's remember why these service members are doing this job in the first place: The conditions in our correctional facilities have completely deteriorated. They're working in an extremely dangerous environment without extensive preparation or specific training. We have to protect them. Making them eligible for the same benefits as active-duty military will provide them with the kind of comprehensive, ongoing health coverage they'd need and deserve should they suffer a serious injury.”

Walczyk said, “We must reflect on the reasons our National Guardsmen have had to take on such challenging roles: The conditions within our correctional institutions are at a severe decline. They are operating in highly unsafe settings without adequate training or preparation. Let's be clear: They are doing us a service and it is our responsibility to safeguard them. By extending the same benefits offered to active-duty military personnel, we can ensure that they receive the comprehensive, ongoing health support they need and deserve if they experience a serious injury. Acknowledging their dedication is the minimum we owe them.”

The letter reads, “We respectfully request you as Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard, federally activate the National Guard members currently serving in the State’s correctional facilities, under Title 10 of the United States Code. In activating the National Guard under Title 10, the Guard personnel will be entitled to the same pay, benefits and legal protections as active military members. The benefits under Title 10 include comprehensive healthcare coverage, which we believe is imperative given the dire conditions many of the National Guard are currently serving in.”

Correction officers began striking at dozens of prisons across the state the week of Feb. 17. Hochul subsequently deployed more than 6,500 New York Guard members into the prisons to help maintain order for an indefinite period of time.

Ortt’s team cited reports indicating the Guard members were working in unsafe, unsanitary conditions.