The 61-year-old man was found unresponsive in his cell at Auburn Correctional Facility, one of dozens of state prisons where corrections officers have walked off the job over working conditions.

Day six of the statewide correction officers strike saw massive crowds outside Clinton Correctional Facility supporting the work action on Saturday. “I’ve been talking to correction officers, and it’s clear these protests are about safety and staffing levels,

Sunday marks seven days since correction officers began their unsanctioned strikes. These strikes, which are not union approved, come as workers say they feel unsafe inside the facilities.

An inmate at an upstate New York facility died early Saturday as an illegal guard strike at prisons across the state hits its seventh day, the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) said.

Striking New York correction officers will be classified as absent without leave and face serious repercussions, including loss of pay and health benefits, according to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Despite a court order to return to work, many officers continue protesting unsafe conditions and staffing shortages.

The new prison cuts shocked state lawmakers, some of whom are fielding calls from frightened and furious corrections officers and families of prisoners.

An independent mediator is now being brought in to assist in bringing a resolution to resolve the correction officer strike, which has now extended to a fifth day. Thousands