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APRIL IS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. At COBA, we know the importance of this month. There have been 87 sexual assaults committed by inmates on Rikers since 2021 and 66% of the victims are COs. COBA’s Sexual Assault Bill (A1606/S5582) aims to make sexual assaults of NYC Correction Officers a FELONY.
MAJOR COBA LEGISLATIVE VICTORY: NY STATE LEGISLATION IMPROVES TIER 6 & CF-22
Major COBA Legislative Victory: NY State Legislation Improves Tier 6 & CF-22 When the Tier 6 pension system was formed in 2012, it also created an unfair division in our public pension system that provided better pension benefits to public sector workers who were hired prior to 2012, while providing diminished benefits for workers hired after 2012. COBA, along with many of New York’s public sector unions, led a vigorous advocacy campaign, calling on the Governor and the legislature to make meaningful pension reforms, to “Fix Tier Six.” As a result of our efforts, we are very pleased to report that the Governor’s new budget, which was just passed by the state legislature, includes long overdue changes to the Tier 6 pension system. For example, all Tier 6 member’s pension benefits will now be based on their three-year final average salary instead of their five-year final average salary, Additionally, for …
COBA PRESIDENT BENNY BOSCIO ALONGSIDE CONGRESSMAN LEE ZELDIN AND OTHER COBA MEMBERS ANNOUNCING COBA’S ENDORSEMENT OF ZELDIN FOR GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK AT A PRESS CONFERENCE AT RIKERS ISLAND
Correction Officers, like most New Yorkers, are sick and tired of living in constant fear of being victimized by violent criminals in their communities and in their workplace.
COBA PRESIDENT BENNY BOSCIO TESTIFIES IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL
At the City Council hearing on the proposed legislation to ban punitive segregation in New York City’s jails, COBA members stood together to demand our voices be heard! Our officers are essential First Responders, who provide care, custody, and control of nearly 6,000 inmates in our jails. Watch COBA President Benny Boscio’s compelling testimony on why punitive segregation is vitally important for the safety of our officers and non-violent offenders.
COBA PRESIDENT BENNY BOSCIO, ALONG WITH COBA MEMBERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS SPEAK AT A PRESS CONFERENCE AT CITY HALL TO OPPOSE THE BAN ON PUNITIVE SEGREGATION
Thank you to all the brave officers who testified about the violent inmate assaults on them and thank you to all our brother & sister union members and elected officials who joined our fight today to stop the ban on punitive segregation! BACK TO BLOG
DESI SOCIETY FOOD PANTRY EVENT
COBA President Benny Boscio was honored as a special guest at the recent DESI Society event for their food pantry. The pantry resources will be available for all officers and staff. COBA is very proud of the work the DESI Society does and we are grateful to be a part of their mission to support our fellow officers. BACK TO BLOG
COBA FIRST CITY WIDE TRUSTEE ASHAKI ANTOINE PUTS COUNCIL MEMBER CABÁN ON THE SPOT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emyn_081bRY&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Frzo.skj.mybluehost.me%2F&feature=emb_imp_woyt We need answers that the City Council cannot provide. Those council members calling for the ban on punitive segregation do not work in our jails, where we supervise some of the most violent individuals in our city every day. Keeping punitive segregation in place for violent offenders is necessary for the safety of our officers and non-violent inmates. Watch the video as COBA First City Wide Trustee Ashaki Antoine pushes back against socialist Council Member Tiffany Cabán by asking her basic questions, which Cabán can’t answer! BACK TO BLOG
DOMINICAN DAY PARADE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99IcIlZI_0Y&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Frzo.skj.mybluehost.me%2F&feature=emb_imp_woyt The Dominican Day Parade last week was a great celebration of culture and heritage! Our sincere thanks go out to all of the officers who attended! BACK TO BLOG
RISK ASSESSMENT
Did you know that New York State WVPL mandate employers perform a risk assessment with the respective unions pursuant to workplace violence? Help COBA help you! Report any physical plant issues, deficiencies, or damage through a WVPL complaint form and/or by contacting your facility delegate or a COBA Board Member. Please reach out to Board Member Glenn Morgan and see below for more specific information regarding reportable physical conditions. BACK TO BLOG
TESTIFYING TO THE BOC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qY1__DO6TQ&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Frzo.skj.mybluehost.me%2F&feature=emb_imp_woyt Listen to First Citywide Trustee Ashaki Antoine as she testifies before the BOC on the recurrence of sexual assault, physical attacks, and inoperable cell doors in our jails — and why we need to do something about it NOW. Our Officers deserve to conduct their tours safely. BACK TO BLOG
PUNITIVE SEGREGATION
Since taking office, President Benny Boscio and his administration have advocated for safer working conditions for our members, including the reinstatement of Punitive Segregation. Thanks to COBA’s tireless advocacy we were proud to stand with Mayor Eric Adams and Commissioner Louis Molina in their decision to support this crucial tool for maintaining safer jails. After many meetings and discussions with Mayor Adams and Commissioner Molina, COBA successfully highlighted the importance of Punitive Segregation to the well-being of our Correction Officers and the safety of our jails. And after years of failed leadership and policies under the previous administration, COBA is pleased to see a Mayor and Commissioner willing to listen to and work with COBA and our members. While getting Punitive Segregation reinstated was an important first step for the Mayor and his Administration in achieving safer jails, rest assured COBA will not stop advocating for better working conditions for …
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
The entire COBA Executive Board is very proud of our First Citywide Trustee, Ashaki Antoine, who was honored at the Grand Council Guardian of Inc’s Women’s History Month event! Board Member Antoine has been a tireless advocate for the women who serve in the City’s toughest precinct by holding the City and the Department accountable. You can watch Board Member Antoine’s testimony at the Board of Correction virtual hearings and at the City Council’s Criminal Justice Committee hearings. COBA had a wonderful time continuing our celebration of Women’s History Month at EMTC serving our hardworking members! The COBA Board helped to serve lunch to celebrate the hard-working women that make up the Boldest and are proud to celebrate them all year long. BACK TO BLOG
FIRST ANNUAL HER-STORY 3 MILE WALK AND RUN
Our Executive Board enjoys any chance to give back to our community! This year we participated in the First Annual Her-Story 3 Mile Walk and Run in Shirley Chisholm State Park as a tribute to Women’s History Month and every wonderful woman out there! We look forward to participating again next year! BACK TO BLOG
CORRECTIONAL OFFICER AND EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION WEEK
Thank you, Mayor Eric Adams for making it a point to express your gratitude to our Corrections Officers for all that they do to protect our jails! We are proud to work with you and your administration. Mayor Eric Adams joined COBA last week as we celebrated our Corrections Officers at GMDC Wellness Center for Correctional Officer and Employee Appreciation Week. It was a wonderful time honoring our Boldest! BACK TO BLOG
QUEENS ELECTEDS, COBA CALL ON STATE TO ADDRESS SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST OFFICERS
In October 2021, several Queens elected officials stood alongside correctional offers to demand the city and state take action to end sexual harassment and assault against officers, an issue that has been long ignored. COBA leaders were joined by City Council members Adrienne Adams and I. Daneek Miller as well as Assemblymember David Weprin to announce impending legislation at the City Council level to address attacks and draw attention to them. Nineteen people have reported allegations of sexual assault by incarcerated people since January 1, 2021, according to the Department of Correction’s Intelligence Bureau. COBA’s third Vice President, Keisha Williams, said, “The lack of accountability for these horrific crimes committed behind bars is a stark reflection of how broken our criminal justice system is. This culture of sexual assaults and sexual harassment has been going on for far too long, and it has to stop.” City Council members Adams and …
COBA PRESIDENT BENNY BOSCIO ON STREET SOLDIERS ON FOX 5 NY
https://youtu.be/TYpELrJT9lg COBA President Benny Boscio was featured as part of an in-depth interview with FOX5NY & Hot 97’s Lisa Evers. In the interview, President Boscio discussed the condition of Riker’s Island and noted the “eight years of neglect” from the prior administration as the reasoning behind heightened tensions at the jail. He noted that lack of instructors, rise of violence and assault on correctional officers and inmates, discussing how inmates have been empowered and emboldened by lack of support. “We’ve been set up to fail,” he said to Lisa Evers, discussing the changes to gang policies under the new commissioner. Increased need for staffing and officers at Rikers Island was named as a solution for some of the problems at the jail, but President Boscio noted withdrawal of support and advocacy and a lack of resources as part of creating a dangerous situation for officers and inmates. BACK TO BLOG