Unions
The Unions section focuses on the role of labor unions in advocating for correctional staff rights, working conditions, and benefits. This directory provides articles and resources on union activities, negotiations, and the impact of unions on correctional facility operations. Understanding unions’ influence is crucial for staff and administrators in navigating workplace issues and improving labor relations. For more on workforce management, explore our section on Corrections1 Career Resources.
The Sgt. Mickey Hutchens Act allows law enforcement, including prison and parole staff, to buy up to four years of retirement time tied to training or education
With eight drug exposure incidents sending staff to hospitals in just 15 months, union leaders are callong on Congress to pass legislation mandating prison mail screening protocols
The union says DOCCS is ignoring safety concerns and the impact of firing 2,000 corrections officers after the strike
Union leaders cite training costs and security issues as a reason to reopen the Danville Correctional Center firing range, while businesses warn of stray bullets and noise
New York will keep key provisions of its agreement to end the strike, including HALT Act adjustments and mail screening, despite falling short of the 85% return-to-work threshold
The HALT Act, correctional staffing and officer safety are at the center of labor negotiations — here’s what’s at stake
A new committee to review HALT Act changes and 12-hour shifts until normal operations resume are key components of the state’s proposal
Corrections officers have been pushing for reforms to the HALT Act, saying restrictions on solitary confinement put staff at risk
Fewer than 10 corrections officers have been terminated so far, but thousands are at risk of losing health benefits for not returning to work
The agreement includes suspending parts of the HALT Act for 90 days and safeguarding against excessive mandatory overtime
Some federal prison staff will see paychecks slashed by up to 25% as unions warn of “more turnover, burnout and instability” across BOP facilities
Gov. Kathy Hochul said that legal proceedings against nearly 400 striking COs had begun, with New York State Police serving restraining orders to 380 individuals
Corrections officers statewide hold the line, calling for stronger safety measures and an end to HALT
New York has declared a “prison-wide state of emergency,” lifting HALT Act restrictions and offering COs who continue to report for work 2.5 times overtime pay to stabilize facilities
With corrections officers protesting at 30+ prisons, Gov. Kathy Hochul deployed the National Guard and threatened legal action to end the wildcat strike
The corrections officers’ demands include reversing solitary confinement limits, higher salaries and enhanced visitor security, but DOCCS says some require legislative action
As corrections officers protest overtime and staffing issues, Gov. Kathy Hochul insists the strike must end, citing safety concerns
The state plans to close SCI-Rockview and Quehanna Boot Camp; every staff member at the two prisons would be “guaranteed an offer of a job” at their current pay elsewhere
The Upstate Correctional Facility is on lockdown and undergoing a search with drug-sniffing K-9s after two incidents left 25 staff members needing medical treatment
Gov. Kathy Hochul has ordered the firing of 14 employees, most of whom are correctional officers, for their involvement in the attack
During the attack, two North Branch Correctional Institution corrections officers were stabbed; one CO suffered a laceration to the neck and was airlifted to a hospital
The union said prison violence is worsened by staffing shortages, with 33,516 inmates in state prisons but a total of 14,276 COs as of Nov. 1., the lowest level in two decades
Legislators called for the governor to start routine tactical searches, ensure swift prosecution of inmate assaults and establish monthly meetings with the COs’ union
The decision seeks to provide Lancaster County corrections officers additional rest to compensate them for working in hot, uncomfortable conditions
The current pace of change has left a dangerous situation in both adult and juvenile prisons across Maryland, employees and union leaders said
The conflict between the union and the DOC comes after multiple inmates stabbed two COs and injured three others in an attack at Souza-Baranowski prison
The Massachusetts DOC has increased resources inside Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, including adding “specialized staff” to day and evening shifts
Five Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center COs were injured in the attack by multiple inmates; one CO was stabbed 12 times and suffered a punctured lung
In addition to a lack of training, the union said the facilities at High Desert are not able to safely house maximum custody inmates without putting COs at “unnecessary risk”
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