Day 2 of strike continues at prisons in Albion, Orleans

Corrections officers determined to not return to work until HALT Act rescinded

Photos by Tom Rivers: Corrections officers say mandatory overtime keeps them from seeing their families. This group is outside on Gaines Basin Road today. There was another group directly across from the main entrance to Orleans Correctional Facility. More than 100 people were gathered despite temperatures in the teens.

ALBION – More than 100 corrections officers are gathered across from the Orleans Correctional Facility on day 2 of a strike at the facilities. It’s part of strikes at about 25 prisons in New York, as COs pressure Gov. Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature to rescind the HALT Act which officers say has made the prisons far more dangerous with little repercussion if inmates attack staff or other incarcerated people.

The strikes started at prisons on Monday at Collins in Erie County and Elmira in the Southern Tier. By Tuesday the strike spread to more than 20 prisons including the two in Albion: the women’s prison, Albion Correctional, and the men’s medium-security prison, Orleans Correctional.

Officers on strike today told the Orleans Hub they aren’t seeking more money. The strike is mostly about rescinding the HALT Act and improving staffing. COs say more officers are needed to cut down on mandatory overtime. Some officers say they regularly are working 80 hours a week and are not able to spend much time with their families.

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday said she was preparing to mobilize the National Guard if officers don’t end the strike today.

Correction officers say their top priority is rescinding the HALT Act which they say drastically limits solitary confinement for inmates. That has put other inmates and staff at risk of attacks with little repercussions to inmates who hurt others and break prison rules.

The gathering of COs outside Orleans Correctional on Gaines Basin Road was bigger today than on Tuesday. They were joined by many recent retirees.

“This has been a long time coming,” a CO at Orleans Correctional said.

He and his co-workers are determined to stay on strike until the HALT Act is ended.

“It’s up to the Governor’s Office,” said the CO who declined to give his name, fearing retaliation from the state.

Donna Vanderlaan is retired from Albion Correctional the past 5 ½ years. She worked there as a CO for 21 years, and started with two years at Bedford Hills. She said recent state policies have made the prisons less safe, and the shortage of staff are burning out the COs and other workers.

Vanderlaan said the state is overworking the COs and putting them in jeopardy. She has been out in the bitter cold the past two days.

She is amazed by the residents dropping off pizza, water, hand warmers, and wood to burn in barrels.

There has been so much pizza, the retired COs have brought some to the staff working inside the prisons.

“The community is definitely showing lots of support,” one of the COs said. “They’ve been phenomenal.”

COs who were inside the prisons working when the strikes started have now been in there for over 30 hours.

Vanderlaan said the striking staff are staying outside, trying to pressure the governor to change policies, especially the HALT Act.

“This isn’t about money,” Vanderlaan said. “They’re fighting for their lives and for the people who can’t be out here. With the 24-hour shifts, you have no life. We have people falling asleep on their ride home.”

There is a line of about 100 vehicles along Gaines Basin Road stretching from near the prison’s main entrance to past the American Legion Post.