Teamsters Urge Review of Florida Prison System

(TAMPA, Fla.) – The ongoing review of the ethics complaint against Gov. Rick Scott filed by the Teamsters Union got a boost when it was revealed by the Times-Herald that a federal inquiry has been under way since March involving the Black Water River Correctional Facility in northwest Florida.

According to the newspaper, in 2010 despite the state prisons being under capacity, meaning that no new prison beds were needed, the Black Water facility was built. No stand-alone vote by the Legislature was taken about its construction, nor was a cost-benefit analysis implemented.

Similar to the Legislature’s railroading of the Black Water River facility, prisons in 18 South Florida counties were on a fast-track for privatization through various legislative procedures and a tainted bidding process for the work. Now, after finding merit with the Teamster’s ethics complaint against the Governor’s handling of the bidding process, an investigation by the state’s Ethics Commission is underway.

Additionally, on September 30, a Circuit Court judge found the process by which officials were attempting to privatize the prison system was unconstitutional, on a technicality. This resulted in a temporary stay of the process until the state’s Legislature reconvenes in January, 2012.  At that time, many believe the Governor and legislators will try to ram through their prison privatization scheme.

“We look forward to the result of the Florida Ethics Commission’s investigation and we welcome a closer review of the state’s prison privatization efforts,” said Ken Wood, Teamsters International Vice President and Acting President of Teamsters Local Union 2011 for Florida Department of Corrections officers. “Privatization is wrong and we intend to continue the fight to stop it!”

The Teamsters are assisting 20,000 FDOC officers seeking aggressive representation on the job. 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