New York State Corrections Unions Team Up for Privatization Fight

Vowing to close New York's borders to the privateers, unions representing state, county and city corrections officers have launched a historic joint effort to block private prison companies from establishing a foothold in the state.

Led by AFSCME Council 82 and New York City's Corrections Officers Benevolent Association (COBA), a lobbying coalition was established the same day Governor Pataki addressed them about his support of the "Anti-Thrower" Bill (see story, page 3). COBA supports a simple but effective bill that would bar anyone but duly sworn New York State peace officers from supervising inmates in state, county and municipal corrections facilities.

Authored by State Sen. Michael Nozzolio (R-Seneca Falls) and Assemblyman Daniel Feldman (D-Brooklyn), the bill has attracted bipartisan support.

At a news conference attended by the leaders of Council 82, COBA, the New York City supervisors' unions, the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA)/AFSCME Local 1000, and corrections union officials from Suffolk and West-chester Counties, Nozzolio said, "It's important that we put in the law, very clearly, that public safety never be linked to private sector profit motives."

The New York City unions and Council 82, representing 22,000 state COs, sergeants and lieutenants, forged the historic joint lobbying coalition after the decision by New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to request proposals from private firms to run certain city corrections facilities.

"We will fight privatization in every way we can," said Eliot Seide, Council 82 administrator. "We will do it together and we will win." COBA Pres. Norman Seabrook declared, "With this legislation, we're serving notice that New York's borders are closed to privateers."

The union leaders are now discussing a cooperative effort to win passage of legislation that would mandate three-quarter disability for all COs, regardless of the date they entered state service.