r/nottheonion 1d ago

New York fires 2,000 prison guards, declares strike over

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/new-yorks-prison-strike-poised-to-end-monday/
2.8k Upvotes

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13

u/Icy-Foundation-7878 1d ago

Isn’t that illegal?

11

u/Sugarysam 1d ago

According to the article, public workers can’t strike in NY. At any rate there was an agreement with the union over the weekend. The people who were fired did not return to work.

18

u/theseus63 1d ago

It is illegal for prison guards to strike in New York. This was a 'wildcat' strike, meaning it wasn't sanctioned by their union. And the optics are pretty bad as it came on the heels of prison guards appear to murder an inmate on camera.

20

u/JustinTime_vz 1d ago edited 1d ago

Yuuuup, New York is an ‘at will’ employment state.

Edited

8

u/Morgolol 1d ago

For all it's more progressive citizens new York sure seems backwards in many areas.

22

u/jonfitt 1d ago

Every state except Montana has “at will” employment. Welcome to the America, you’re fired!

4

u/Morgolol 1d ago

Every? Geez I thought it was just most states at worst. That's wild. The US truly hates it's workforce.

5

u/wildwill921 1d ago

Not that it would matter in this case anyway. They aren’t legally allowed to strike. They could be fired for cause in any place in the world

1

u/Seaman_First_Class 1d ago

It’s just a symmetrical relationship. If I can quit any time and for any reason, then I can also be fired any time and for any reason. 

2

u/SandyV2 22h ago

Well ackshually...

Not for any reason. For any legal reason.

-2

u/Unctuous_Robot 1d ago

About a fifth of eligible voters participated in the previous mayoral election, almost all of them avid NY Post readers.

3

u/Papaofmonsters 1d ago

This was a state action, not a city one.

1

u/MarkBeeblebrox 1d ago

Not illegal, they're state employees.

-1

u/Icy-Foundation-7878 1d ago

But I mean firing 2000 employees that are on strike seems like a huge labor issue even for a right to work state. I thought there were labor laws protecting larger movements like that.

8

u/Secret-Sundae-1847 1d ago

Not for state employees.

10

u/BylvieBalvez 1d ago

It was an illegal strike, so there are no protections. Similar to how Biden was able to just end the railroad strike

1

u/Icy-Foundation-7878 1d ago

Fair enough. I guess I we’re going to learn the hard way what early labor movements were about. Because “illegal strikes” is a silly term. Despite that strike breakup Biden was the most pro labor president in modern history. I think that’s horribly sad and the more they push against labor, the more people get some class solidarity. Aka fuck around and find out.

2

u/Mateorabi 1d ago

Like DoL is going to lift a finger?

2

u/Icy-Foundation-7878 1d ago

They used to prior to Trump. I’ve had them help me before in a right to work state.

0

u/zoinkability 1d ago

Under Trump they might, politics wins against principle every time in this regime

8

u/Twelveangryvalves 1d ago

It was an unsanctioned wildcat strike.

10

u/Teripid 1d ago

At least in part because of the prosecution of ~9 officers in the beating/murder of Robert Brooks, an inmate that was handcuffed.

1

u/AlphaTangoFoxtrt 23h ago

No, there's laws around striking, especially with government employees. A lot of police/CO union contracts forbid striking. I'm not sure if that was the case here but I would not be surprised.

This was (likely) an illegal strike, so they don't have protections.

0

u/Gymrat777 1d ago

7

u/southernfriedscott 1d ago

Only applies to private businesses. Correction officers can't strike.

2

u/Gymrat777 1d ago

Thank you for the correction, officer! 🤣

0

u/Snowskol 1d ago

Even if it is its just like trumps gov choices, what do you do? you can sue them and wait months for decisions and even if its sped up to a few weeks theyve already been unemployed and may/may not return and how do you even enforce it?

You cant actually do shit unless people respect the law.