NEW YORK — A months-long dispute over New York’s prison strike is drawing new national attention. Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican from New York’s North Country region and a member of House leadership, is asking the U.S. Department of Labor to investigate Gov. Kathy Hochul’s actions during the work stoppage, the Washington Examiner reports.
In a letter to Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Stefanik accused Hochul and the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) of violating the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. She alleges correctional officers who went on strike earlier in 2025 were improperly classified as AWOL — a move that led to terminations and loss of health insurance, overtime pay, sick leave and unemployment benefits.
Stefanik also alleged that a list of about 200 officers was circulated at Hochul’s direction to block those employees from being rehired. She called the alleged list “coercive, unethical and illegal.”
DOCCS denied the claim, saying there is no such “No Call” list. The agency emphasized that correctional officers who were terminated can contest their dismissal only through the grievance process established in the collective bargaining agreement with the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA).
Hochul’s office rejected Stefanik’s accusations, pointing back to the governor’s repeated statements during the strike that rehiring decisions must follow DOCCS’ legal processes.
“Corrections officers who chose to participate in the illegal work stoppage earlier this year willingly put both the incarcerated population and their colleagues who remained on the job at risk,” a spokesperson said. “This administration follows the law and will do so if grievances are filed.”
The prison strike in New York marked one of the largest correctional officer work stoppages in recent memory. It led to the firings of 2,000 corrections officers and lasted 22 days.
