BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The New York Public Employees Federation (PEF) has reached an agreement with the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) that protects civilian staff who work in state prisons.
The agreement comes as corrections officers across the state continue to strike over what they claim are unsafe working conditions.
READ MORE: You can find our live blog here where we are following new developments in the ongoing strike
"It's putting a lot of stress, and strain...anxiety on my members," said PEF President Wayne Spence.
PEF represents around 5,000 members who work in New York State correctional facilities. They include teachers, doctors, psychologists, nurses, and parole officers.
Spence said some members were ordered to do tasks that they were not trained for involving incarcerated people. Spence told me he spoke to parole officers who were, "forced to go into Attica and work as a corrections officer."
"It is work that they shouldn't do," said Spence. "It's work that is dangerous. It is work that could get them killed."
The agreement signed on Sunday states that PEF-represented medical staff cannot do tasks that are outside their job description and parole staff can only be on security assignments if they volunteer.
"What are they thinking?" said Spence in regards to DOCCS having his members do jobs they're not trained for.
I asked DOCCS about this. A representative sent this statement on Tuesday:
"Today marks day nine of the illegal strike by correction officers. The strikers continue to endanger the well-being of the staff and National Guard working to maintain the operation of the facilities. In order to ensure the continued safety and security of our facilities we are grateful for all the correctional officers and civilian employees who are coming to work and, when asked, have been willing to take on responsibilities outside their normal scope of duties during this emergency and illegal strike. These actions are consistent with the provisions in the various collective bargaining agreements."
PEF posted an affidavit made by some of its members on its Facebook page.
Spence said he told his members that they can only participate in the illegal strike when they are off the clock.
