水果派AV

"The strike is over," he said.听

DOCCS is moving forward with more than 10,000 security staff, including correction officers and sergeants who participated in the work stoppage but have returned to duty. The department is firing more than 2,000 officers who did not report by the 6:45 a.m. Monday deadline.听

The number of returning officers was not enough to meet the 85% threshold for triggering an agreement between DOCCS and the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, the union representing correction officers and sergeants. But Martuscello said he will honor the terms of a prior agreement reached with striking officers, as well as elements of the deal with the union.

Among the actions Martuscello will take is the formation of a committee to propose changes to the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act, known as HALT. The 2022 law restricts the use of segregated confinement in jails and prisons. Officers who engaged in the strike say the law has contributed to the unsafe working conditions in prisons and must be repealed.听

Martuscello will also suspend HALT-related programming for 90 days.听

DOCCS will have officers work 12-hour shifts to avoid 24-hour overtime 鈥� mandated overtime was another complaint from officers 鈥� and staff who work overtime will be paid double time and a half.听

The state will expedite the review that could increase salary grades for correction officers and sergeants. It will also work with a vendor to screen legal mail, a source of contraband in prisons.听

Officers will not be disciplined by DOCCS for participating in the walkout. However, they will face penalties under the state's Taylor Law, which prohibits public employee strikes. Health insurance was restored for employees who returned to duty.听

The National Guard, which was activated during the first week of the strike, will remain at prisons to support staff and prevent officers from working 24-hour shifts.听

DOCCS will create a committee to boost efficiency in the agency and officers can receive up to $3,000 in referral bonuses for recruiting new staff. The department will also launch a "high-energy recruitment campaign" to address a staffing crisis in prisons.听

"I want you to know that I heard you," Martuscello said to his correction officers. "Your safety, your family, your work-life balance are important to me and I'm committed to continue listening to your voices as we move forward. It is time to turn the page."聽

The strike, which was not sanctioned by NYSCOPBA, began at three correctional facilities on Feb. 17. The next day, officers at most New York prisons 鈥� including Auburn and Cayuga correctional facilities 鈥� joined the walkout.听

Officers said their work stoppage was due to unsafe working conditions. Prison violence has increased over the years, with record numbers of assaults on incarcerated individuals and staff reported in 2024.听

According to DOCCS, about 90% of its 13,500 correction officers and sergeants were considered absent without leave for participating in the strike. The department warned officers that they could be arrested or fired if they didn't end their protest.听

During the first week of the strike, DOCCS agreed to enter mediation with NYSCOPBA. The process resulted in the first of three agreements that aimed to end the strike. But that initial deal was largely rejected by officers who felt it didn't go far enough in addressing their concerns.听

After that agreement fell apart, Martuscello decided to negotiate with striking officers. He signed a memorandum of understanding to honor the deal struck during those talks, but NYSCOPBA killed it because the union wasn't involved in the process.听

DOCCS and NYSCOPBA reentered negotiations Friday night and announced another agreement on Saturday. The deal would've been enforced if 85% of striking officers had returned to work by 6:45 a.m. Monday. But Martuscello confirmed they did not meet that threshold.

It has been a tumultuous time for DOCCS. The strike occurred three months after Robert Brooks, an inmate at Marcy Correctional Facility, was beaten to death by officers. The state is investigating a second inmate death at Mid-State Correctional Facility.听

Meanwhile, a staffing shortage has led to officers working long hours in prisons. Those levels worsened with the loss of more than 2,000 officers who have been fired for joining the strike.听

"We are committed to building a dedicated, resilient workforce and attracting the next generation of correctional leaders," Martuscello said. "We will work to ensure the new department will be safer and more effective for everyone involved."