Correctional officers at Sing Sing prison in Ossining, NY went on strike on February 19, 2025 for better working conditions, including understaffing, forced overtime, and unsafe environments. After three weeks, the strike ended on March 10, with the majority of workers returning to their jobs and 2,000 holdouts being fired. The critical mark they were seeking was 85% of their pre-strike workforce strength, and while this threshold was not fully met, state officials still considered the standoff to be over.
The strike began at two prisons and spread to dozens more, despite being illegal under state law. State officials made offers to workers, including the formation of a committee to study the use of long-term solitary confinement as punishment, which led to the agreement signed by the union representing correction officers.
The state also offered incentives to returning workers, such as the restoration of health insurance and the suspension of the rules of the HALT Act. They also promised to avoid forcing workers to work excessive overtime and offered referral bonuses for recruiting new correctional officers.
Despite the end of the strike, workers who returned may still face penalties for violating the Taylor Law, which prohibits striking. Correction officers in New York are paid base salaries of $56,000 to $84,000, with many earning more through overtime. The top earners received over $150,000 in total pay in 2023.
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