The fight against prison privatization never wavers, and AFSCME is winning the fight nationally. That was the word in late June at the AFSCME International Convention in Philadelphia from AFSCME Corrections United (ACU).
Almost 6,000 delegates, alternates and guests gathered in Philadelphia for the 34th AFSCME International Convention; there were about 100 delegates from Oregon.
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One of those staffing the ACU booth at the convention was Marlon Byrd, a
corrections officer in the Pennsylvania state corrections department. Byrd said AFSCME has been the leader of the anti-privatization fight in Pennsylvania, just like in Oregon."We've successfully fought off every attempt here," said Byrd. "The
'privateers' are always lurking about, but led by AFSCME, we've fought them off at every point in Pennsylvania."On Wednesday of the week-long convention, Byrd hosted Local 3361 (EOCI)
President Ken Hackett and Pendleton-based Corrections staff rep Jim Steiner on a tour of his state institution. Hackett and Steiner commented that COs nationwide appear to face many of the same problems as those in Oregon."Same problems, different state," said Steiner. "But we really enjoyed our
tour, and Marlon was a great host."Many Corrections employees on the East Coast were able to participate at a
national Corrections Officers Caucus at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. in mid -May. In fact, the week of May 7 was national Corrections Officers and Employees Week.At the Congressional Caucus, both AFSCME International President Gerald
McEntee and other AFSCME representatives stressed the evils of prison privatization to members of Congress. Key testimony was given by Ricco DiPietro of Council 17 (Louisiana), who helped lead a fight that returned a private Louisiana juvenile facility to state control.At the Philadelphia AFSCME convention, AFSCME International
Secretary-Treasurer Bill Lucy reported a new strategy to the convention delegates. The national union is now making a concerted effort to identify where public employee pension funds are being invested. Often, the public employee funds are a large percentage of the ownership base. Brokers that invest pension funds in either the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) or Wackenhut — the two leading prison privateers — are being told the public pension funds will be divested unless that money is pulled out of CCA and Wackenhut."It makes no sense for our members' money to be invested in those companies," said Lucy. "It is another tool in our fight against privatization."
