ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- After 23 days on the picket line and four attempts at a deal between the state, DOCCS, NYSCOPBA, and officers, the state declared an end to the wildcat strike. They say they've begun the process of terminating 2,000 corrections officers who did not return to work by the Monday deadline. Local leaders say they're pushing back against the order.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced in an executive order on Tuesday that thousands of corrections officers who were striking across the state will be terminated and cannot be hired for other state positions. Additionally, she made recommendations that would prevent them from seeking other county and local civil service positions.

On Wednesday afternoon, former corrections officers were outside of the Elmira Correctional Facility cleaning up the spot on Davis Street that served as their rally point during the strike, marking an end to their protests.

Elected leaders in the region are saying that this was not the outcome they had expected. In a Facebook post from Tuesday night, Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss said the county is taking action to question the legality of the governor's order.

"If she's chosen to terminate these folks and it ends up being legal now to stop them from, you know, finding other jobs in civil service, I think that's totally unnecessary and vindictive on her part," said Moss, "We have been in touch this morning with a couple of other counties who agree, who wanted to hire, you know, some of these folks to fill their vacancies. So we're looking at our legal remedies, which include filing an Article 78 against the governor's office. So we're working on partnering with some other counties this afternoon."

Congressman Nick Langworthy also shared some thoughts as the strike ended. The following statement was released on Wednesday:

"Governor Hochul’s latest assault on our hardworking corrections officers amounts to nothing more than callous and petty retribution. These brave men and women engaged in a strike as a last resort because they were pushed to a breaking point and their concerns have fallen on deaf ears.

Instead of negotiating in good faith to bring needed changes to their third world working conditions and safety, she ripped their children off their health insurance, fired them and is now trying to prevent them gaining future employment.

This was a gutless, vindictive move that shows how much hate and contempt she has for our uniformed heroes. A federal investigation into this blatant, outrageous overreach can’t come soon enough.”

Some local law enforcement officials share that other agencies, including sheriff's offices, are down on staffing as well. Schuyler County Sheriff Kevin Rumsey says officers are not being heard and they could have been valuable and much needed assets to other agencies, if not for the governor's order.

"I think the point has been missed and I don't think the best outcome has happened, and now I think it's, this executive order is a way, a little bit of retribution," said Sheriff Rumsey.

Officers that stuck around ECF shared with WENY News on Tuesday that they are not giving up despite the outcome.

Executive Moss says Chemung County officials will gather a list of those interested in positions around the area in the meantime as they determine next steps.