{"id":12607,"date":"2025-05-23T10:09:53","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T14:09:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pef.org\/?p=12607"},"modified":"2025-05-23T10:10:53","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T14:10:53","slug":"pef-telephone-town-hall-for-doccs-members","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pef.org\/articles\/news\/pef-telephone-town-hall-for-doccs-members\/","title":{"rendered":"PEF Telephone Town Hall for DOCCS members\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DOCCSPEF members who work at DOCCS facilities across the state, including nurses and mental health care workers who work for OMH in Corrections Based Operations, listened to a Telephone Town Hall on May 22, 2025. PEF President Wayne Spence and PEF Legislative Director Patrick Lyons shared information about PEF\u2019s involvement in recent meetings with DOCCS Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III and other unions to explore changes to the HALT (Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement) Act. President Spence and Director Lyons also shared their thoughts following a legislative hearing earlier this month in Albany on \u201cSafety of Persons in Custody, Transparency, and Accountability within State Correctional Facilities.\u201d Here are approximate time codes to help you listen to the video below.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

0:30 – <\/span><\/b>President Spence discusses the cancellation of an annual DOCCS Labor-Management meeting and instead announces a PEF member focused meeting on concerns in DOCCS facilities to be held June 19-21 in Albany.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2:40 –\u00a0<\/span><\/b>President Spence talk about meetings with Commissioner Martuscello and unions with members at DOCCS facilities and what has been discussed at the meetings.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4:25 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>President Spence invites the PEF members who were a part of those meetings to share their perspective.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4:50 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>PEF member Anne Jordan, an Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator at Groveland Correctional Facility, shares her perspective.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

6:50 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>PEF Executive Board Member and Vocational Education Supervisor at Mohawk Correctional Facility Steve Drake shares his perspective.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

8:35 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>Lindsay Bonanza is a Teacher 4 at Marcy Correctional Facility in Utica. President Spence invites her to share her perspective.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

10:25 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>Jeff Taylor is a Registered Nurse 1 at Clinton Correctional Facility. He also shared his perspective.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

11:15 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>President Spence shares a recent report in the Albany Times Union that alleges that assaults against incarcerated individuals are happening in infirmaries.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

12:40 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>Director Lyons jumps on to add details regarding the Times Union article and shares some information about legislation introduced as a result of the report.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

13:55 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>President Spence invites Lyons to share his perspective on the DOCCS and union coalition meetings.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

14:45 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>Lyons details each of the recommendations made by PEF and the unions that were adopted and are going to be pushed forward to the next meeting with the advocates of the HALT Act to find a solution together with the unions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

19:45 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>President Spence discusses his appearance at the joint legislative committee hearing on \u201cSafety of Persons in Custody, Transparency, and Accountability within State Correctional Facilities\u201d that was held in Albany on May 15, 2025.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

21:05 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>President Spence shares his perspective and the union\u2019s position as Corrections Officers and NYSCOPBA members receive raises and age requirement changes while civilian staff are left out of the conversation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

22:45 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>President Spence talks about the hearing and his opinion on how the legislature has responded to the strike, recent murders in correctional facilities, and how PEF is dealing with the issues.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

24:40 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>President Spence invites Lyons to share his opinion on the hearing. Lyons focuses on PEF members stepping up during the strike and also shares the reality of the situation for civilian workers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

27:50 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>President Spence advocates for the role of the parole officers and civilian staff during the strike and shares testimony from members. He also shares his belief in how the system can change for the better for PEF members and incarcerated individuals.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

33:10 \u2013 <\/span><\/b>President Spence thanks Steve Drake for helping to set up leave time properly for DOCCS staff to attend the June 19-21 meeting mentioned at the start of the townhall.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n