Teamsters Leader Calls for Field Hearings on Proposed Prison Closures

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ken Wood, Acting President of Teamsters Local 2011, today urged the Legislature to hold field hearings on a proposal to close prisons and work camps in 11 communities.  

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"These proposed closures would devastate the dedicated correctional officers who work at these facilities, their families and the small businesses in the surrounding communities," said Wood. "The decision to close these prisons has been anything but transparent. It would be a dereliction of duty to rush into prison closings without careful public review, especially when the economic health of our communities and the safety of our citizens are at stake."

Wood noted that the proposed closings could cost 1,300 jobs at a time when Florida's unemployment rate is 10 percent, one of the highest in the nation.  

"Given the governor's ties to the private prison industry, these proposed closings seem to be politically motivated attacks on Florida's working families," said Wood, who is also President of Teamsters Joint Council 75 in Tampa and a Florida resident. "It's curious, for example, that none of Florida's private prisons were slated for closure.

"Is this really a plan to save money or is it part of a plan to privatize Florida's entire correctional system?" Wood said.

Gov. Rick Scott's attempt to privatize Florida's correctional system is currently tied up in the courts.

The Scott administration plans to close include 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, Hendry and Levy counties.

Last year, 20,000 Florida Department of Corrections officers voted for Teamsters representation. 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