An area outside Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, which has been the scene of an intense drama in recent weeks. Prison break puts workers, community on edge DANNEMORA — Under the best of circumstances, going to work each day in a maximum secure correctional facility is difficult and stressful. Add to the mix a prisoner escape, multiple investigations including employee interviews, a community gripped in fear and an international media circus and it’s overwhelming. That’s been the daily circumstance for employees at the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora since June 6, when convicted murderers David Sweat and Richard Matt were reported missing. About 150 CSEA members work at the facility, which houses some of the state’s toughest and most notorious criminals. Intense manhunt After the men were discovered missing at the 5:30 a.m. bed check on June 6, the prison went into lockdown. Police converged, road checks sprang up, helicopters hovered and the governor swooped in for an intense tour and press conference. The two convicts remained at large at press time and the community continues on high alert. Staff has been shaken by the turn of events. The management team at the facility has been replaced and three separate investigations are underway to get to the bottom of what happened. For nearly two weeks, the facility was in lockdown and scores of employees were interviewed under trying circumstances, adding to the fear and confusion. An employee and a corrections officer have been arrested in connection with the escape. The investigation continues. “There are many challenges in this situation that must be addressed starting with public safety and the security of the people who work in the facility,” said CSEA President Danny Donohue. “We are standing strong with all of our members, their co-workers, family and friends who are going through this ordeal.” Standing together Donohue reached out to Clinton Correctional Facility Local President Tommy Baughn following the escape and dispatched a team of CSEA staff to help reassure employees that their union is with them. Donohue pointed out that the focus right now must be on recapturing the fugitives, but noted there are bigger issues that will have to be addressed moving forward. “There is likely to be a lot more to come out about what happened here, but it is no secret that state workers have been required to do more with less under bare-bone budgets in recent years,” Donohue said. “What we have seen is a gradual chipping away of the structures that once supported security and safety,” said CSEA Capital Region President Kathy Garrison, who pointed to budget items not being filled, reduced staffing levels and increased use of private contractors at secure facilities. “The situation is not just stressful for the employees, it can obviously be dangerous and we need to be sure that situations are addressed at all our facilities so that security is not putting people and operations at risk,” Donohue said. For some, stressful work is a ‘little hell’ every day DANNEMORA — In the immediate aftermath of the escape at Clinton Correctional Facility, employees were frightened and confused. With the prison in lockdown, staff were confined to a conference room awaiting their turn for interviews by state police and the Inspector General’s office, who were conducting investigations. Workers described the scene as “chaotic” and “overwhelming,” and many were left wondering about their rights. “People needed to know they had support,” said CSEA Labor Relations Specialist Emy Pombrio, who is assigned to the facility. Many employees at the Clinton Correctional Facility remain reluctant to talk publicly about their working experiences. Others who are familiar with the stress of working in secure environments offered their encouragement and perspective. Jim Reedy, Capital District Psychiatric Center Local president, said some of the stress comes from the unknown. “From hour to hour, or even minute to minute, you just don’t know what you are walking into,” he said. Correctional Services Local President Mo Wolfe said that people just don’t understand what it means to go to work in a secure facility every day. “It’s like going into a little hell every day,” he said. CSEA has many resources to help workers deal with stress on the job and in their personal life. To learn more, contact your local CSEA representative about programs and benefits offered under your negotiated contract. July-August 2015 The Work Force 3
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