Profits from Prison Industries

By Ali Khalid Abdullah

It is my opinion (and that of thousands of other prisoners across America) that prisons are making huge profits from prison industries and the use of cheap prison labour. Slave labour. In the state of Michigan prisoners make everything from office furniture, mattresses, clothing, to shoes and licence plates. However, Michigan officials continue to claim that they aren't making a profit from prison industries. But who would continue to run any business if it wasn't making money or profits? In the case of Michigan's prison industry, significant profits have been made for a long time for these prison industries have been in operation for decades now.

It never occurs to the taxpayer that the jobs prisoners are forced to take are inhumane, hazardous and oppressive, and that these same jobs are then denied to unemployed taxpayers. Now we aren't suggesting prisoners shouldn't work, but that the unemployed on the outside ought to think about what is happening in these prisons and should question the way that prisoners are being forced to work under all conditions. Conditions that you on the outside would not dare tolerate regardless of how bad you want or need a job. And of course, prisoners don't get any sick pay, paid vacations, nor do they have unions or spokespersons to represent them. All a prisoner has is the threat of retaliation if he/she does not perform and produce, period!

• The issue of prison industries
• the way prisoners are used to work these industries
• the conditions under which prisoners are forced to work
• the roles of government, corporate and private investors in the prison industry

Many prisoners will someday be released. Their experience inside will affect their adjustment outside. It is a fact that many prisoners are fighting hard for political, social, economic and environmental changes, particularly regarding the way the government operates. These prisoners who are fighting back need support on the outside.

If the IWW and its members could look at this picture and realise that there are prisoners fighting for a democratic society and one based on true representation for all, then we would find power from a truly diverse section of society.

In the trenches

October 1998