Current and former inmates in Alabama are suing the state, alleging they were forced to work at jobs for “next to nothing.” The lawsuit claimed the prisoners were forced into “modern-day slavery” by working jobs at fast food restaurants, meat packing plants and city offices.
Though inmates make at least $7.25 an hour, the state siphons 40% off the top of all wages and charges fees, including $5 a day for rides to their jobs and $15 a month for laundry, according to The Associated Press.
The AP report found the cheap and reliable labor has generated more than $250 million for the state since 2000 just through money garnished from prisoners’ wages.
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While the inmates can refuse to work, they face punishment if they do. Inmates can be denied family visits or sent to higher-security prisons in the state. Those prisons are so dangerous that the federal government filed a lawsuit four years ago, calling Alabama’s treatment of prisoners unconstitutional. That lawsuit is still pending.
Turning down work can also impact an inmate’s chances of getting an early release, with only 8% of eligible prisoners granted parole in 2023. The lawsuit also said the prisoners forced into this “modern-day slavery” are disproportionately Black.
Tags: Alabama, Fast food, Labor, Lawsuit, Minimum wage, Prison, Prisoners, Slavery, Wages, Workers Rights
[Karah Rucker]
CURRENT AND FORMER INMATES IN ALABAMA ARE SUING THE STATE – ALLEGING THEY WERE FORCED TO WORK AT JOBS FOR QUOTE “NEXT TO NOTHING.”
THE LAWSUIT ALLEGES THE PRISONERS WERE FORCED INTO QUOTE “MODERN DAY SLAVERY” BY WORKING JOBS AT FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS, MEAT PACKING PLANTS, AND EVEN CITY OFFICES.
THOUGH INMATES MAKE AT LEAST 7 DOLLARS 25 CENTS AN HOUR – THE STATE SIPHONS 40 PERCENT OFF THE TOP OF ALL WAGES AND ALSO LEVIES FEES – INCLUDING 5 DOLLARS A DAY FOR RIDES TO THEIR JOBS AND 15 DOLLARS A MONTH FOR LAUNDRY, ACCORDING TO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
THE A-P FOUND THE CHEAP AND RELIABLE LABOR HAS GENERATED MORE THEN 250 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE STATE SINCE 2000 JUST THROUGH MONEY GARNISHED FROM PRISONERS’ WAGES.
AND WHILE THE INMATES CAN REFUSE TO WORK – THEY FACE PUNISHMENT IF THEY DO… FROM BEING DENIED FAMILY VISITS TO BEING SENT TO HIGHER-SECURITY PRISONS IN THE STATE – WHICH ARE SO DANGEROUS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FILED A LAWSUIT FOUR YEARS AGO CALLING ALABAMA’S TREATMENT OF PRISONERS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
THAT LAWSUIT IS STILL PENDING.
TURNING DOWN WORK CAN ALSO IMPACT AN INMATE’S CHANCES OF GETTING EARLY RELEASE… WITH ONLY 8 PERCENT OF ELIGIBLE PRISONERS GRANTED PAROLE LAST YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE A-P.
THE LAWSUIT ALSO SAYS THE PRISONERS FORCED INTO THIS “MODERN-DAY SLAVERY” ARE DISPROPORIONATELY BLACK.
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