WHEREAS:

Inmates are being used to perform jobs in both the public and private sectors. Some states have adopted this as an alternative to incarceration and persons in these programs are usually convicted of less serious offenses; and

WHEREAS:

Many states have downsized and even eliminated educational and vocational programs for inmates. Permitting inmates to work as part of a skills-training program to prepare them for employment after their release from prison is sound in theory, but badly conceived programs often provide unfair competition, force wages to sub-living wage levels and take jobs away from law abiding citizens; and

WHEREAS:

State government has not addressed the lack of adequate training, wages, and benefits for law abiding citizens, but has chosen to give public assistance to private companies by building facilities within prison walls where inmates can work for private employers and by not requiring these private sector employers to pay customary expenses such as Workers' Compensation, health benefits or property tax; and

WHEREAS:

Prisons should strive to be more self sufficient and there are currently a host of opportunities to give inmates work experience including the utilization of inmate labor on prison farms.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That the AFSCME, AFL-CIO, while encouraging programs that train inmates for work after their release, oppose programs not specifically approved by the affected labor organization, that do not pay the prevailing wage for that occupation in the state, or that use inmates to displace or adversely impact free workers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME, AFL-CIO, oppose the use of inmate labor where such use of inmate labor keeps wages at a sub-living wage level, denies benefits and training to the unemployed or underemployed law abiding citizens; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That AFSCME, AFL-CIO promote and encourage the National AFL-CIO to use their resources in an effort to introduce legislation to discourage the use of inmate labor in the private sector as an alternative to creating jobs and hiring workers in the general population.

SUBMITTED BY: 

Jan Corderman, President and Delegate 
Cheryl Hannah, Secretary-Treasurer and Delegate 
AFSCME Council 61
Iowa