Gov. Kathy Hochul said the illegal prison strikes are putting the entire state at risk and must end immediately.

Mediation talks continued for a second day on Tuesday.

“We want to find out what the issue is, because the individuals who’ve walked out — in an unsanctioned strike, unapproved by the union — have yet to tell us the issues.

Among the initiatives are repealing a staff memo that said 70% of staffing would be considered full staffing and suspending portions of the HALT law over use of solitary confinement.

Hochul has deployed 6,500 members of the National Guard to do the jobs of people that have walked out. 

Hochul said particularly distressing was that there were prisons left unguarded.

“The incarcerated population was left unguarded. There were people from other unions, people who work in health care, and the commissary, who were left unprotected by these actions,” she said.

Health care benefits have been taken away and legal action is being taking against striking officers.

She said the prison population has declined by half over the last few years and they are working to consolidate to make sure that they maximize every bed in their facilities. They are (have) transported some inmates to other facilities.

The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association said there no significant developments in the second day of talks.

State Sen. Dan Stec, R – Queensbury, said in a statement he offered an amendment to fully repeal the HALT Act.

He has sponsored legislation that has been blocked from coming to the floor, so he attempted to offer it as an amendment to other legislation. It was defeated in a party-line vote.