Five thousand members of the New York Public Employees Federation (PEF) work for the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS). According to PEF President Wayne Spence, a former parole officer, the Hochul administration ordered parole officers to fill in for striking COs at prisons across the state. The order was rescinded when Spence threatened the state with a lawsuit.

While strikes among public employees are considered illegal under the state's Taylor Law, some corrections officers are denying illegality because of the deterioration of safety conditions at prisons.

When asked if he thinks the strikes are illegal, Spence told Capital Tonight that he understands why the COs walked off the job. He also expressed disbelief that the governor appeared not to know what the issues are that corrections officers are striking over. 

At a press conference on Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “My administration has worked tirelessly over the last 9 days to resolve this. In fact, we've brought in mediators requested by the union. Mediations started yesterday, it continues again today. We want to find out what the issue is because the individuals who walked out, in an unsanctioned strike, unapproved by the union, have yet to tell us the issues."

Later in the day, the governor clarified her statement, saying, “When they're not represented by a union and I'm negotiating with a union, I'm asking the union what do they want? It can't be pay and benefits because we literally just negotiated a very generous package less than a year ago...I don't believe it's about benefits and pay, I'm not aware that it is."

Vinny Blasio, a retired New York state corrections lieutenant and past official with the New York State Corrections Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA), told Capital Tonight that the strikes at prisons were sparked by a Feb. 10 memo from DOCCS Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III which states, “70% of our original staffing model is the new 100%."