Seven prisoners died as thousands of corrections officers at dozens of facilities protested working conditions in wildcat strikes across the state.

A wildcat strike by New York state prison guards has stretched into a third week, prompting officials to start firing workers for failing to abide by a deal to end the illegal labor action.

State officials are struggling to resolve an ongoing prison strike, with more than 30 facilities affected as correction officers protest unsafe conditions, excessive overtime, and the HALT Act’s limits on solitary confinement.