Prison mediation to begin next week

ALBANY | Mediation to end statewide strikes by corrections officers across New York will begin next week. Gov. Kathy Hochul and representatives from the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association retained Martin F. Scheinman of Scheinman Arbitration & Mediation Services to lead the effort. "I have determined it is in the parties' best interests to set an aggressive mediation schedule to discuss numerous outstanding issues fueling the strike," Scheinman said in a news release. Parties involved will meet over Zoom this week for early overviews of positions and issues. "I am confident this mediation process can help the parties open a constructive dialogue to move towards resolution of their differences," Scheinman said. "I look forward to working with both teams to ensure a fair and thoughtful discussion of their concerns takes place." The strikes- initiated after a recent uprising at Collins Correctional Facility, a recent memorandum to cut already strained staffing by 30 percent and the handling and growing number of dangerous drug exposures at numerous facilities across the state- began at two western facilities Monday and quickly evolved into formal strikes at roughly 40 of the state's 42 facilities. Of top priority is the HALT Act blamed for skyrocketing violence on staff and between incarcerated populations and the recently announced directive to reduce already strained staffing by 30 percent. That directive was rescinded Thursday as the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision attempted to pave an early pathway to a returned workforce. According to DOCCS data, there were 2,070 assaults on staff statewide in the year 2024- a skyrocketing number from previous years. There have already been 160 recorded in 2025. In addition to alarming rates of synthetic drug overdoses and dangerous staff exposures, assaults among incarcerated individuals were also much higher in 2024, more than double the amount in 2020, with 249 already in 2025. Officers have steadily voiced opposition to the measure, saying it's proven detrimental to both the safety of officers and incarcerated populations across the state. Officers have also cited failed leadership at the helm of the department and called for the removal of DOCCS Commission Daniel Martuscello, who assumed oversight of the department in June 2023. He was subsequently nominated by Gov. Kathy Hochul and confirmed by the Senate in May 2024. The National Guard was formally activated Wednesday and deployed across the state Thursday to provide added manpower and security as all visitation was halted in prisons across the state. Mediation is scheduled for Feb. 25-27. Additional days will be scheduled as needed.

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Prison mediation to begin next week

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