The 2016 U.S. prison strike was a prison work stoppage that began on September 9, 2016, the 45th anniversary of the Attica uprising. The strike occurred in 24 states, and over 24,000 prisoners took part in the strike. The involvement of 24,000 prisoners made this strike the largest ever recorded in the U.S. Within a week, inmates from approximately 20 prisons participated. Organizations involved in coordinating the strike included the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee and the Free Alabama Movement. The issues behind the prison strike included unfair use of prison labor, poor wages, and unsatisfying living conditions. The main goal of the strike was to end constitutional servitude, that is, prison slavery to which inmates are subjected. Despite the high number of striking prisoners, the strike received little mainstream media coverage.

Organizations involved

The Free Alabama Movement and the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee actively participated in the prison strike. The strike originated in

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

within a band of prisoners at Holman Prison. Members of the Free Alabama Movement requested adequately paid labor. The group of inmates used their role as workers as leverage to protest within the prison system. The main goal of the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee is to protest the living conditions inmates endure. The Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee is associated with the Industrial Workers of the World. Many members of the Industrial Workers of the World are also inmates in prison. Both organizations were part of the prison strike. The Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee was formed to address injustices in the prison system. On July 31, 2014, the organization's statement of purpose was created in order to organize and unite prisoners. There are five components to the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee's Statement of Purpose, which lay out the goals of the organization, advocate for prisoner solidarity, and advocate for the needs of inmates. Cellular devices were used to organize the groups of strikers.

Inmates

Inmates in 40 to 50 prisons planned to participate in the strike, and over 24,000 inmates were involved. Inmates residing in Alabama,

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

, and

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

participated. Prisoners in

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

, and

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

also contributed to the strike. Protests in

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

, and

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

occurred as well. The use of concealed cellphones helped to coordinate the strike and unite the strikers. Supporters from outside sources aided in its organization. Protest actions included the inmates refusing to perform labor and pushing the prisons into a state of lockdown. Orders from a Florida prison were ignored on September 12, 2016, and caused a temporary lockdown. In Michigan, the inmates who worked in the kitchen did not appear at their work posts. Approximately 400 prisoners ignored their tasks and marched. That institution eventually attained a lockdown status after the facility received an impairment. Inmates in South Carolina and Alabama voiced their concerns and requested an end to unfair prison labor, low wages, and poor living conditions.

Causes

While different prison inmates have diverse reasons for striking, the main issues behind the prison strike included unfair use of prison labor, low wages, and unsatisfying living conditions. The labor of the inmates includes maintaining the prison: indoor cleaning, paperwork, cooking, and outdoor maintenance. Inmates are not entitled to any insurance, and prisoners can be forced to work for free, as the 13th Amendment allows unpaid labor in prisons. From

Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 36th vice president under P ...

’s presidency to the present day, much of the increase in both the number and percentage of Americans who are incarcerated can be attributed to the War on Drugs. As a result of increased enforcement of 1970s-era drug laws, enhanced sentencing guidelines, and racial profiling, 40 percent of people incarcerated in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

are now

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Inmates in 20 or more prisons across the United States participated in the largest prison strike to ever take place, resulting in financial loss for companies that take advantage of absolute minimum wages. The inmates involved in the strike feel the current prison system is dysfunctional. In prisons in Michigan, inmates receive wages from $0.75 to $3.73 daily. The wage levels caused the inmates to join the strike by participating in a work stoppage. Approximately 40 prisoners were involved. In South Carolina prisons, inmates are “compensated” through the skills they learn on the job, rather than through U.S. currency. One inmate in a South Carolina prison believes the 13th Amendment is the reason for the prisoners’ alleged dehumanization. Approximately 200 prisoners in a South Carolina prison joined the strike to protest the prison’s invocation of the 13th Amendment and the resulting labor and wage conditions.

13th Amendment

The 13th Amendment was added to the U.S Constitution after the U.S. Civil War. Its stated purpose was to put an end to

slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, yet the amendment explicitly includes a provision to permit slavery for persons convicted of a crime. The striking inmates interpreted the 13th Amendment as a reason for their poor wages and living conditions. Prison systems continue to enforce mandatory work stations that provide few financial advantages for inmates. Prison labor generates an estimated $2 billion per year. The strikers called for increased wages and for a change to the 13th Amendment.

References

{{Reflist, 30em Labor disputes in Alabama Labor disputes in Florida Labor disputes in Georgia (U.S. state) Labor disputes in Illinois Labor disputes in Michigan Labor disputes in Mississippi Labor disputes in North Carolina Labor disputes in South Carolina Labor disputes in Oregon Labor disputes in Texas Labor disputes in Virginia Labor disputes in Washington (state) Labor disputes led by the Industrial Workers of the World 2016 labor disputes and strikes Prison strikes in the United States 2010s strikes in the United States

Organizations involved

Inmates

Causes

13th Amendment

See also

References