New York fires 2,000 prison guards over wildcat strike refusal to return to work. Here's what happened

New York on Monday terminated over 2,000 prison guards who refused to return to work following a weekslong wildcat strike that disrupted the state's correctional system.

However, the state announced that enough officers had returned to duty, allowing them to declare the illegal work stoppage officially over, as reported by the Associated Press.

“After 22 days of an illegal strike, the governor and I are happy to report it is now ended,” Commissioner Daniel Martuscello said during a virtual press briefing.

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The state and the guards' union reached a new agreement to end the strike over the weekend, which was dependent on at least 85% of staff returning to work by Monday morning.

While the return rate fell short of the 85% target, Martuscello confirmed that the state would still honor the deal's overtime and certain other provisions, AP reported.

He said the National Guard would remain in place at prisons in a support position while the department undertakes an aggressive recruiting campaign to attract additional employees. About 10,000 security staff are available to work in prisons across the state, he said, down from about 13,500 before the wildcat strike.

“Termination letters have been sent to over 2,000 officers who remained on strike. Officers and sergeants who did not have preapproved medical leave and didn’t return by this morning, 6:45 a.m. deadline, have been terminated effective immediately,” Martuscello said.

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An email seeking comment was sent to the guards' union, the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association.

Reason for protest

Starting on February 17, guards frustrated with working conditions began illegally walking off the job at several state prisons, prompting Gov. Kathy Hochul to deploy National Guard troops to keep operations running. Inmates have since raised concerns about worsening conditions behind bars. Additionally, the death of a 22-year-old man at a prison near Utica earlier this month is under investigation by a special prosecutor.

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The walkout violates a state law barring strikes by most public employees and was not sanctioned by the guards' union. Two previous deals aimed at ending the strike failed to coax enough guards back to end the crisis.

Like the other deals, this one addresses a key complaint of the striking guards with a 90-day suspension of a provision of a state law that limits the use of solitary confinement. Guards will work 12-hour shifts and the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision will not discipline officers who participated in the strike if they returned by the Monday deadline.

Multiple inmates have died since the walkouts began, though it was unclear if strike-related prison conditions played a role in the deaths.

Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick is investigating the death of Messiah Nantwi at Mid-State Correctional Facility on March 1 as a special prosecutor. Authorities have declined to provide details, but a court filing by the attorney general's office said there is “probable cause to believe” that as many as nine correctional officers either caused or could be implicated in his death.

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Fifteen prison staff members were placed on leave following the death of Nantwi. This marks the second criminal investigation into the death of a state prison inmate in recent months.

Last month, six guards were charged with murder in connection with the December death of Robert Brooks, who was incarcerated at the Marcy Correctional Facility, located across from the Mid-State prison, AP reported.

(With inputs from Associated Press)