Posts tagged New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association
Corrections officers union rips into NYS report on wildcat strike at prisons
August 11, 2025 // The union says that includes serious issues like forced overtime and limited PTO options for corrections officers, a significant increase in internal prison violence, and other conditions which the union says caused the illegal job action. They say it stems a frustration boiling over point for their members including claims that no one in Albany was really listening to their concerns even when they came from DOCCS Commissioner who was himself grilled by some lawmakers in hearings.
How New York Can Prevent Another Prison Worker Strike
March 7, 2025 // The governor should hold both sides to account. She needs a handshake deal with lawmakers to restore some of the discretion that prison superintendents previously wielded to impose solitary confinement in the most extreme cases. Such an agreement can be codified in the forthcoming state budget. In return, state law should require every DOCCS employee to wear a body camera whenever in the presence of an inmate and give the department more latitude in curbing the arrival of drugs and contraband. Finally, Hochul needs to identify and terminate the strike’s instigators. Any capitulation, real or perceived, will tempt other public employees to instigate their own illegal strikes—though some of damage in this regard has already been done.
NY reaches tentative deal to end prison strike by suspending anti-solitary confinement law
March 2, 2025 // A law restricting the use of solitary confinement in New York’s prisons would remain partly suspended for 90 days if corrections officers accept a tentative agreement the state reached with their union to end an ongoing wildcat strike. There will be no departmental discipline for any of the thousands of corrections officers if they return to work by Saturday, according to a memo the governor released. The agreement also includes provisions to reduce mandated overtime, increase the overtime pay rate and temporarily hire retired corrections officers to assist in transporting incarcerated people.
Hochul calls up National Guard over prison strikes
February 19, 2025 // "The illegal and unlawful actions being taken by a number of correction officers must end immediately," Hochul said in a statement. "We will not allow these individuals to jeopardize the safety of their colleagues, incarcerated people, and the residents of communities surrounding our correctional facilities." New York correctional officers have been on strike at several upstate facilities since Monday, though union officials say the job action wasn't sanctioned. The work stoppages — which are illegal under New York law — come in response to a lockdown last week when rioting inmates injured three guards and simmering complaints about understaffing and mandatory overtime in state prisons.
Public Employee: My union did not represent my interests
May 2, 2023 // “A lot of parole officers are dissatisfied with being a member of PEF,” he said. PEF has not fought to gain access to typical law enforcement benefits for its parole officers. For example, parole officers in PEF do not have the same retirement plan as correction officers or other law enforcement officers, typically called a “twenty-and-out” or “twenty-five-and-out.” Meaning, a law enforcement officer can retire with a full government pension after working twenty or twenty-five years of public service and these plans do not have an age restriction. Meanwhile, parole officers’ retirement plans under PEF require more years of public service and have age restrictions. For example, parole officers either have to work thirty years and retire at age 55 (Tier 4) or work thirty years and retire at age 63 (Tier 6) in order to receive a full retirement pension.