It’s now been two weeks since correction officers across upstate New York walked off their jobs in a wildcat strike, forcing the National Guard to be called in to help secure state prisons.

“They lost their health insurance today. This may affect their pensions. I don’t think a lot of people are gonna want to sign up to be in that situation,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said on Monday during an unrelated press conference at her Midtown Manhattan office.

But that threat is not enough to get thousands of correctional officers to go back to work across upstate New York.

What You Need To Know

  • The state and the officers' union presented a compromise deal, including a partial suspension of the so-called “HALT” law that officers say limits their ability to discipline inmates

  • Seven inmates have died since the strike began, according to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision

  • Some officers are clocking back in — now 32 out of 42 prisons have striking officers, instead of 38 last week

“I’m intimately involved hour by hour in this crisis that was created by individuals without the approval of the union,” she added.

Officers are striking against what they call unsafe working conditions in dozens of medium and maximum-security prisons.

“I’m wildly, acutely aware that the hours are just too long, just too long. No one should have to work 24-hour shifts,” Hochul said.

The state and the officers’ union, the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, Inc., presented a compromise deal, including a partial suspension of the so-called “HALT” law that officers say limits their ability to discipline inmates.

Full repeal of the 2019 law appears dead on arrival.

“To suggest that I’m going to stand here and unilaterally overturn a law that was passed by elected officials. I’m not pretending to be the king of the state or the queen of the state,” the governor added.

But for some, it wasn’t good enough.

“A large number of staff across the State continue to remain on strike, with more staff returning to duty each and every day, but it’s not allowing for us to implement the consent award and continue our ongoing dialogue,” Daniel Martuscello, Commissioner of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, said during a virtual press conference on Monday.

“Yesterday, we began termination of correction officers. Today, we will be terminating health insurance for corrections officers who have been AWOL and their dependents,” Jackie Bray, Commissioner of the Division of Homeland Security, said during the virtual press conference.

Seven inmates have died since the strike began, according to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, including 22-year-old Messiah Nantwi this weekend at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy.

“Deeply troubling, I’m analyzing the early reports on what is happening. The actual cause of death is not known, but it is my highest priority to get to the bottom of this and find out exactly what’s happening,” said Hochul of Nantwi’s case.

Some officers are clocking back in — now 32 out of 42 prisons have striking officers, instead of 38 last week.

“We have National Guard. We have other correction officers,” Hochul said. “We have a number of those who came back online. The prisons came back online over the weekend, but we have been giving warnings, letting them know that they face very serious consequences. They are in violation of a temporary restraining order from a judge.”

Striking officers are expected to travel to Albany on Tuesday to bring their plight to state lawmakers.