DOCCS commish: Striking NY correction officers will lose health insurance Monday

Robert Harding, The Citizen, Auburn, N.Y.The Citizen

The head of the state prison system said New York correction officers who remain on strike will lose their health insurance Monday.

Daniel Martuscello III, commissioner of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, announced the latest action in response to the two-week-long strike. The officers and their dependents will lose health insurance coverage retroactive to the first day they were reported absent without leave.

Striking correction officers will not be eligible for COBRA, which is available for individuals who lose their health insurance coverage when they lose their job or have another qualifying event.

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The correction officers strike enters its 13th day in front of Auburn Correctional Facility on Saturday.

The state already plans to take administrative and legal action against the striking officers, who could be fired or arrested for violating a judge's temporary restraining order requiring them to return to work.

Martuscello, who visited several correctional facilities over the weekend, thanked employees who continued to work through the strike and welcomed back officers who left the picket line.

He also had a message for officers still on strike.

"I want you to come back to work today," Martuscello said. "If you missed your shift, you should still report, and know that we will continue to have open dialogue on making facilities safer places to work."

The agreement reached between DOCCS and the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association would temporarily suspend portions of the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act, known as HALT, for 90 days. It contains other provisions, from addressing mandated overtime to referral bonuses for recruiting new correction officers.

The deal was announced Thursday after four days of mediation. It set a Saturday deadline for the correction officers to return to work. However, many rejected the agreement and continued their strike.

The strike began Feb. 17 and involves about 90% of the state's 13,500 correction officers. The officers are protesting unsafe working conditions and mandated overtime.

DOCCS considers the striking officers as absent without leave and warned them that they could be docked pay and lose their health insurance if they didn't return to work. They also face additional penalties under the state's Taylor Law, which prohibits public employee strikes.

Series: Continuing coverage of the NY correction officer strike

The Citizen's continuing coverage of the state correction officer strike, including protests outside Auburn and Cayuga correctional facilities.