A Blow to Privateers

After four months of intense public pressure by AFSCME Local 1733, the Memphis mayor and Shelby County Sheriff came out recently against privatizing the county jail and corrections unit. The surprise move is a major blow to Corrections Corporation of America. A major privatizer of prisons, CCA had proposed managing these facilities with a contract worth $200 million plus cash incentives worth at least $30 million per facility.

The rejection also delivers a stunning setback to the 13-member county commission that has been pushing for privatized management of the prison population.

Great risks

 "We're waging this battle in order to save 1,500 jobs," says Dorothy Crook, director of the local that represents COs and deputy jailers. "In addition, we're concerned about the safety of our neighborhoods." Adds Moses Haynes, a CO and chapter chairman of the local's correction center: "Once these private companies take over, they are going to start shipping prisoners from other states. Bringing these inmates into privatized jails poses greater risks to public safety."

In conjunction with Grassroots Leadership, a national coalition based in North Carolina, the local has been picketing commission hearings and flooding each commissioner with petitions signed by concerned citizens, ministers and students.