Deal Reached to End New York Prison Guards' Wildcat Strike

The unauthorized strike, which began February 17 and resulted in seven inmate deaths, will end if 85% of workers return by Monday morning.

The strike was triggered by forced 24-hour overtime shifts and increased violence in prisons, which guards attributed to the 2021 HALT Act limiting solitary confinement.
The agreement includes a 90-day suspension of some HALT Act provisions and steps to reduce mandatory overtime, including capping shifts at 12 hours temporarily.
Health insurance for 5,200 striking guards will be reinstated and backdated, and penalties for participation in the strike will be waived unless criminal activity occurred.
Gov. Kathy Hochul deployed 7,000 National Guard troops to stabilize prisons during the strike, with plans to reduce their presence as guards return to work.
The strike, involving 12,500 of 15,000 corrections officers across 38 prisons, marks the first major work stoppage in New York state prisons since 1979.