The work stoppage by New York state correctional officers continues this week as both sides prepare to meet with a mediator today. Correctional officers at 37 facilities have been protesting for more than a week, pushing for better working conditions and policy changes. Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown) joined his Assembly Minority Conference colleagues at a press conference today in the Capitol building, calling for immediate action to resolve the crisis.
The Assembly Republican Conference has long advocated for many of the same demands correctional officers are voicing right now: repealing the HALT Act, addressing the severe staffing crisis and ending the state’s pattern of repeated prison closures.
“Since this crisis in our prisons started two weeks ago, our governor has shown how little she cares for the people inside these walls—both correctional officers and inmates—by refusing to put out the fire. Her announcement to close five more state prisons during widespread unrest can only be seen as a retaliatory measure against COs for simply asking for better working conditions,” said Slater.
“Gov. Hochul has yet to visit these facilities herself, yet she was quick to send thousands of National Guardsmen who are unprepared and unequipped to handle this crisis. This is what ‘leadership’ looks like when those in charge neither understand the problem nor care enough to listen to those most affected. Rather than stepping into the shoes of a corrections officer to see firsthand the consequences of her egregious policies, she has chosen to put even more people in harm’s way.”
“Our state leaders have removed any deterrent for bad behavior in our prisons, slashed staffing by 30% and continue to ignore the growing safety concerns of our correctional officers. The vilification of our COs must stop. The inhumane working conditions and forced overtime must stop. For the safety of everyone in our state prisons, I will not back down from demanding our leaders in Albany listen to the community and show the same respect to correctional officers that they extend to prisoners,” Slater concluded.
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