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The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, a union representing most correction officers, have been participating in the meetings since Monday. Martin Scheinman, an independent mediator, is overseeing the process. 

Thomas Mailey, a DOCCS spokesperson, told Ë®¹ûÅÉAV Wednesday that the state "remains fully engaged in (the) ongoing mediation effort and remains hopeful for a swift and fair resolution." 

NYSCOPBA spokesperson James Miller said the union's leadership has outlined the "number of concerns and issues that members involved in the labor dispute have." 

"There has been progress made between both sides and the membership is being kept abreast of the details after each mediation session," Miller added. 

Striking correction officers are protesting unsafe working conditions in state prisons. Among their concerns is increasing violence — there were 1,760 assaults on staff in 2024, breaking the previous record of 1,671 in 2023. 

Correction officers blame the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act, known as HALT, for the spike in attacks. The law, which took effect in 2022, limits the use of segregated confinement in prisons.

When the strike began Feb. 17, the officers provided a list of demands to DOCCS. One was repealing HALT, which would require legislative action. 

HALT isn't the only issue for correction officers. A severe staffing shortage has led to mandated overtime, with officers working two or three shifts. Days before the strike began, DOCCS issued a memo directing correctional facilities to consider 70% as fully staffed. The department rescinded the memo last week. 

DOCCS Commissioner Daniel Martuscello said last year the agency has a "staffing crisis." Despite recruitment efforts, the correction officer shortage hasn't improved. 

With conditions deteriorating and overtime mandates, correction officers had enough. The strike started at three prisons and quickly spread to more than 30 facilities, including Auburn and Cayuga.ÌýÌý

Gov. Kathy Hochul criticized the strike, calling it "illegal" and "unlawful." State law prohibits public employee strikes. NYSCOPBA did not sanction the work stoppage and urged its members to return to work. 

Hochul activated the National Guard to assist remaining correctional staff at prisons. More than 6,500 National Guard members have been deployed, the governor said Tuesday. 

A judge issued a temporary restraining order requiring the striking correction officers to return to their jobs, but many defied that directive and remained on the picket line. 

DOCCS temporarily suspended parts of HALT due to a state of emergency declared by Hochul. The department also offered amnesty to striking officers if they returned to work by 11:59 p.m. Thursday. 

As the strike entered a second week, DOCCS said officers who continued their walkout would be considered absent without leave, docked pay and lose their health insurance. They also face other penalties for participating in the illegal strike. 

Hochul on Tuesday renewed her call for the strike to end, while acknowledging that correction officers work in difficult conditions. She wants a "good faith effort" to resolve the ongoing dispute. 

In its latest statement Wednesday, DOCCS recognized its staff and the National Guard for maintaining the prisons amid the strike. However, the department continued, "the longer this illegal strike continues, the greater the risk becomes to the stability of these facilities and for the people inside them."

"It is imperative that this unlawful job action come to an end without further delay," DOCCS said.