TO: All NYSCOPBA Members:
Today, the Executive Board met with DOCCS Commissioner Martuscello, members of his executive team, and several members from Governor Hochul’s staff. We discussed at length the issues we have raised for years that have fallen on deaf ears and that have ultimately contributed to the memberships’ walking off the job. We also argued for several of the demands that have been drafted by the membership after walking off the job. DOCCS, in turn, proposed certain monetary incentives to potentially entice the membership to return to work. At this point, the Executive Board communicated its belief that the membership needs to see several drastic improvements to working conditions before they would even consider returning to work. The membership is completely burnt out and past their limit.
At the end of the meeting, the parties agreed that the Executive Board would submit its top priority demands to be addressed immediately by Governor Hochul. The demand was submitted shortly thereafter. Those demands include: (1) no penalties for members who have walked off the job; (2) suspension of HALT or persistent holiday schedule to ease the burden on staff; (3) two-pay-grade increase for all COs and Sergeants to help with recruitment and retention; and (4) to discuss all outstanding financial, staffing, and working condition issues before an independent mediator to begin immediately. We have begun to contact independent mediators with both state and federal experience in order to assist us moving forward and to begin further negotiations as soon as possible. We await the response from the Governor’s office.
We are also closely monitoring Governor Hochul’s recent announcement that she is activating the National Guard. This will inevitably impact job duties within the facility and NYSCOPBA will work to ensure that members’ swaps, bids, leave, and other rights are preserved for those who are still working in our jails.
We will provide further updates when we have them.
In solidarity,
Chris Summers
President