Independent mediator being brought in as correction officer strike reaches fifth day
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — An independent mediator is now being brought in to assist in bringing a resolution to resolve the correction officer strike, which has now extended to a fifth day.
Thousands of correction officers across New York State, including officers at four Western New York prisons: Attica Correctional Facility, Collins Correctional Facility, Wende Correctional Facility and Lake View Correctional Facility, have been on strike since Monday.
The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) has deemed the strikes as illegal, and got a court order Wednesday mandating that the strikes end. Officers remained on the picket line. Visitation has been canceled at all DOCCS facilities across the state.
The Long Island-based mediation firm Scheinman Arbitration and Mediation Services was brought on by both the State and the union.
Mediation meetings are not set to begin until Monday, which would be the eighth day of the strike, should it continue until then. Initially, the mediation was set to begin Tuesday, but was later moved up.
“At the initial meeting today, February 21, 2025, NYSCOPBA pressed for formal mediation to start more quickly,” mediator Martin Scheinman, Esq. said in a release. “Based upon NYSCOPBA’s arguments, I suggested it was a good idea to begin earlier and the Commissioner of DOCCS; and his Chief of Staff, and the Director of OER, readily agreed. Therefore, the formal mediation will begin Monday, February 24, 2025.”
In a release Thursday, the mediation firm said that there are concerns that the process will be complicated due to the threats of massive fines for striking correction officers and jail time for union leaders. Additional meetings were also scheduled for later in the week.
The State attempted to resolve the strike on Thursday, saying in a memorandum that officers who returned to work by 11:59 p.m. would not face any discipline. However, it is not believed that any officers returned to work. Other changes announced Thursday by the State to entice officers to go back to work included a temporary suspension of the HALT Act, an boost of overtime rates, and other moves.
“Started mediation as well to talk about their concerns and how we can deal with the fact that there is a severe shortage of people who want to be corrections officers in our state,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a news conference Thursday. “That is a statement of fact and that has become very challenging for us.”
The strike has expanded to over 30 prisons across the state. Officer demands include the reversal of the HALT Act, higher staffing levels, no overtime mandates over 16 hours, mandated body scans for visitors, scans of mail coming to inmates, a $5,000 bonus for new employees, and other benefits. Over 4,500 New York National Guard members have been staffing prisons in recent days.
More coverage of the correction officer strike
How the Taylor Law bans correction officers from striking (2/18)
Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.
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