Local time on March 10, CCTV reporters learned that the U. S. state of New York fired more than 2000 prison guards, because they failed to return to work after the strike.
It is reported that the New York State Government and the prison guard Union reached a new agreement to end the strike this weekend, but only if at least 85% of employees back to work by the morning of the 10th. Danyll Matusello, the Department of Corrections Commissioner, said that although the 85 percent target was not met, the state would abide by the overtime and other provisions of the agreement. Matusello said letters of dismissal had been sent to more than 2,000 officers who were still on strike and that those officers and police chiefs who did not return for pre-approved sick leave by the 6.45 am deadline had been summarily dismissed.
Earlier, many guards at the state prison began an illegal strike on Feb. 17 over working conditions, forcing the governor to send National Guard of the United States to stay open. It said the strike violated state laws banning most public employees from striking and was not sanctioned by the Guards’ Union.