August 7, 2024 — As part of New York State’s 2024-25 state budget, up to five state correctional facilities have been authorized for closure with just 90 days notice. Governor Hochul and the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) announced in July that Great Meadow and Sullivan Correctional Facilities will cease operations on Nov. 6, 2024.
In a statement on July 18, 2024, PEF President Wayne Spence said that the decision by the state will negatively impact the over 100 PEF members who work at these facilities, as well as the additional members who work at Woodbourne and Washington Correctional Facilities who are likely to receive not only the additional staff, but the hundreds of incarcerated individuals from the closing facilities.
“These men and women must now confront the hardships associated with transferring to a new job or possibly losing a job due to lack of seniority, as well as potentially uprooting their families, finding new schools for their kids, and a host of other stressful situations associated with sudden changes to their employment,” said President Spence.
PEF members rallied with union siblings from the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association
(NYSCOPBA) and members of the Washington County community on August 4 in support of Great Meadow. State Senators Jake Ashby, Dan Stec and James Tedisco, along with Assemblymembers Matt Simpson and Carrie Woerner, as well as U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, attended to show their support.
Ashby called the closure an “assault on this community” and said the economy of the area would collapse if the facility closed.
All the speakers, and the community, said that there is still time to compromise, and asked Governor Hochul to reconsider the plan.
A bill introduced by Senator Tedisco would require a majority vote in the Senate and Assembly to close a state prison. Tedisco asked the community to support the bill and tell the Governor to support it as well.
Throughout the legislative session in 2023, PEF rallied against the plan to close correctional facilities with just 90 days notice. Now, PEF is committing to helping every affected member with transitioning to a new DOCCS position. Meetings are being held this month with all impacted members, giving them a chance to ask questions and understand the process.
“Staff and leaders will be at each closure meeting to help answer questions and guide our members on next steps,” said PEF Statewide Director of Field Services Katie Vorwald. “We will be working hard to try to find a position for everyone that they would prefer.”
PEF is monitoring Great Meadow carefully, as there is a lack of OMH positions in the area that OMH employees who work at Great Meadow could potentially transfer to. Vorwald said OMH and DOCCS are working out a plan.
“Our Health and Safety Department is also going to work to ensure anyone going into a new work environment is provided training and assistance to work safely in their new location or position,” Vorwald said.
While things are moving fast and time is short between the fight to save Great Meadow and the work being done to ensure members have a place to work, Vorwald’s advice to everyone is to stay as calm as possible.
“In previous closures, PEF has been able to assist the vast majority of members in finding a new position that they found satisfactory,” Vorwald said. “We know the State has no interest in losing good employees and we will fight hard to ensure everyone can be placed in a new position that works for them.”
