Clinton Correctional staff continue strike

DANNEMORA — Retired corrections officers at Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora say the “wildcat strike,” where hundreds of officers across the state are picketing and refusing to go to work over working conditions and unsafe staffing levels, has been a long time coming.

“When I retired, the officers — starting slowly — were losing control of their authority,” James Mazzotte, who worked at Clinton Correctional for 11 years before eventually retiring from Camp Gabriels in 1994, said from the chilly picket line in Dannemora Wednesday.

“From my understanding now, they just basically completely lost the authority on how to deal with the inmates, they let the inmates do … whatever they want to do, basically.”

Mazzotte said Gov. Kathy Hochul’s comments earlier this week about the strike taking place across New York as well as Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Commissioner Daniel Martuscello statement saying “The broad community is discussing that 70% of our original staffing model is the new 100%,” brought him out to support the corrections officers Wednesday.

“These officers have been begging them for years to come up and see what’s happening. They don’t come up. They don’t come up and see what’s going on inside the prison system,” he said.

Another former corrections officer, who retired from Clinton Correctional in 2016 and asked to remain anonymous, said the Humane Alternative to Long term Incarceration Act, that strictly prohibits the use of solitary confinement in prisons, is a big part of the striking officer’s demands.

Additionally, they want Commissioner Martuscello to be replaced, they said.

“This commissioner has not done anything good for them,” they said.

“When it gets this big, when the entire state, all of these facilities are doing this, there’s obviously a problem. This is not just a few people that have an opinion and they’re trying to force their opinion on you. This is a huge problem that’s been covered up way before the (2015 prison escape) that we had here, way before any of those things. It was writing on the wall.”

CONCERNS

Officers have voiced concerns about having to work double or even triple shifts or face penalty if they decline. While also filing complaints about the HALT Act, they have called for stricter visitation policies in order to crack down on the amount of contraband that has been getting inside.

Many current corrections officers refused to speak with the media Wednesday, likely in fear of retaliation from the state.

Gov. Hochul said Tuesday that she was readying the New York National Guard to secure correctional facilities in the event it is not resolved by the next day.

As of late afternoon Wednesday, the National Guard had not yet reached Clinton Correctional Facility.

Director of Public Relations for The New York State Correction Officers Police Benevolent Association, the union representing correction officers, James Miller said in an email to media Wednesday that “Currently there are approximately 30 correctional facilities in which officers/sergeants are participating in either protesting current working conditions inside the prisons or refusing to enter for their scheduled shift.”

“There are several facilities that are not participating and are operating normally. NYSCOPBA has not sanctioned or condoned these actions,” Miller wrote.

“The leadership of NYSCOPBA met with DOCCS officials and representatives of the Governor’s Office yesterday morning to discuss the well documented concerns of the members that has led to the current situation. Negotiations with the State have continued throughout today between NYSCOPBA and the Governor’s Office towards a resolution.”

“In regard to the National Guard, we are aware that the Governor has activated them, and they are on standby. I am unaware of any deployment at this time and would refer you (to) DOCCS for any other questions regarding utilizing the National Guard.”

When asked about Hochul mobilizing the National Guard, Mazzotte said “She has to (do that), she’s got to save face.”

“Because that’s not going to last very long in there the way it’s running … She’s going to need the National Guard … in the next 48 hours at the most.”

TENSION

Mazzotte, who worked at the facility during the 1979 strike as well, said the longer the strike goes on, the bigger the problem.

“So I advise all those people in Albany to get their butts up as soon as they can and they go get this solved,” he said.

“There was some clashing that took place after we went back to work … there was some hatred, you know, a lot of tension between some of the staff. So that’s why I don’t want this to go too long, because that will happen.”

So far, animosity already seems to be brewing as a list of names of officers who crossed the picket line to go to work at Clinton Correctional Facility was being kept on a giant chalkboard where the protest was held.

Mazzotte said he understands those who chose to go to work.

“They have families and they’re probably on probation. I don’t blame them. They’ve got to use their own conscience,” he said.

“We need some corrections officers in there. You need some people in there, you need to have staff in there.”

Wednesday’s strike brought out concerned residents of the North Country, beyond retired and current corrections staff, as well.

Joe Ferris, a local professional caricature artist, was at the strike to get a better understanding of the situation and offer free drawings to those who wanted one.

“I feel like it’s a way for me to contribute to the community, as well as a way for me to understand what’s going on here a little more,” Ferris said.

“I’ve never worked at the prison. I watched the movie Escape from Dannemora, but just to be amongst a prison strike is interesting. And like I said, it’s a chance for me to give back.”

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