Guards Sue Hochul Over Strike Firings

Four former correction officers seek class action status after the state fired hundreds of striking prison guards in 2025.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Unions

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a stone civic building facade with a still flag, in navy, cream, and an oxblood accent, evoking institutional state authority. — Four former New York prison guards filed a proposed class action Monday accusing Governor Kathy Hochul of firing hundreds of strikers without a hearing. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Four former New York state correction officers filed a proposed class action in federal court on Monday against Governor Kathy Hochul. The suit alleges hundreds of guards were fired without a hearing after a statewide strike in February and March 2025.

Why it matters

The lawsuit challenges whether the state can terminate public employees who withheld labor without due process, a question with implications for labor rights across New York's public workforce. Strikers had cited unsafe conditions, excessive hours, and opposition to a state law limiting solitary confinement.

The strike involved thousands of officers across 38 state facilities between February and March 2025, and the suit names four plaintiffs seeking to represent hundreds of terminated guards. The exact count of fired officers and the court's ruling on class certification have not been reported.

The players

Kathy Hochul

New York's governor, who oversees the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and is named as the defendant in the suit.

The details

The suit alleges Hochul unconstitutionally fired hundreds of state prison guards without a hearing after they failed to report to work during the strike. Strikers cited unsafe conditions, excessive hours, and opposition to a state solitary confinement law.

February to March 2025: Statewide correction officer strike takes place across 38 facilities.
Monday, November 2, 2026: Four former officers file the proposed class action in federal court.

Big Picture

The lawsuit extends the February to March 2025 statewide correction officer strike into federal court, turning a labor dispute over conditions and a solitary confinement law into a constitutional challenge over firings without a hearing. Its outcome could shape how New York treats public-sector strikes going forward.

Public employees in New York may face questions about their right to strike and whether terminations for missed work require a hearing. The outcome of the case could affect how state workers weigh the risks of job action.

The takeaway

Labor disputes involving public employees can carry constitutional stakes as well as workplace ones. Readers following the case should watch for any ruling on class certification and whether the court addresses the due process question.