Teamsters Leader: We'll Fight Latest Bid to Privatize Prisons

Wood Says Senate Committee Shows Proposed Closures Are All About Privatizing

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ken Wood, Acting President of Teamsters Local 2011, today denounced a Senate panel for releasing a prison-privatization bill this afternoon. The Senate Rules Committee released a bill that would require the Department of Corrections to privatize all prisons and other correctional facilities in 18 counties in the Southern half of the state.

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Earlier today, Wood called for field hearings into the proposed closure of seven prison facilities and four work camps.

"We've been saying all along that these proposed prison closures are about turning Florida's prisons over to for-profit corporations," Wood said. "This is payback to the powerful prison corporations that spend millions on lobbyists and political donations.

"Both the privatization bill and these closures are being rushed through without any public input and zero transparency. We have no evidence that privatizing prisons would save money and plenty of evidence that it won't. Closing and privatizing prisons would devastate the dedicated correctional officers, their families and nearby small businesses.

"When will these corporate-backed politicians do what's right for the people of Florida?"

Wood said the Teamsters, who represent 20,000 Florida Department of Corrections Officers, are putting together an action plan to fight the proposed closures and privatization.

Gov. Rick Scott's attempt to privatize Florida's correctional system last year is currently tied up in the courts because it didn't go through the committee process, violating the Florida Constitution.

Also, yesterday a Florida appeals court denied a motion to dismiss the Teamsters' request for the Ethics Commission to investigate a conflict of interest between Gov. Rick Scott and private prison companies that contributed to his inauguration ceremonies.

"We just want the Ethics Commission to do its job and investigate the cronyism that is so damaging to the working families of Florida," Wood said.

The Scott administration plans include closures of the New River Correctional in Raiford, Jefferson Correctional in Monticello, Demilly Correctional Institute in Polk City, Gainesville C.I., Indian River C.I. in Vero Beach, and the women's prisons Broward C.I. in Fort Lauderdale and Hillsborough C.I. in Riverview near Tampa.

The department also plans to close work camps in Gadsden, Washington and Hendry counties and the Levy forestry camp.

For more information, visit http://fdocteamsters.org.

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, go to www.teamster.org or follow us on Twitter @TeamsterPower.

SOURCE Teamsters Local 2011