AFGE Membership Skyrockets in May, Hitting Best Monthly Numbers Since 2015
June 05, 2023
Our union, AFGE, is continuing our upward trajectory and showing the power and benefit of union membership. In short, AFGE is rising!
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Department of Justice Just Stopped Private Prisons for Good
August 19, 2016
After years of poor accountability, bad treatment of workers and unsafe conditions in our nations' private prison system, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has had enough.
Thursday, DOJ announced they would be instructing the federal Bureau of Prisons to decline to renew the contracts for private prisons or drastically reduce the use of private prisons to house federal inmates with the goal of ending its use of private prisons.
"This is a huge victory for both inmates and correctional workers," said AFGE President J. David Cox. "The truth of the matter is, private prisons just aren't as accountable as our government prisons. The DOJ's Office of the Inspector General said it best in their recent report: private prisons are less safe for both inmates and workers, and we have a great opportunity to reform our system for the better."
Council of Prison Locals President Eric Young praised the decision as a victory for prison safety, and thanked DOJ for acknowledging that the size of the inmate population will determine how quickly the drawdown will commence.
"The men and women working in our federal Bureau of Prisons are the most professional, highly trained correctional workers in the nation, and are uniquely equipped to handle the heavy demands of inmate supervision," said CPL President Eric Young. "Because of their hard work, our communities know peace. Returning the responsibility of caring for and rehabilitating inmates will ensure that these men and women serve their time productively, and re-enter society as reformed, valuable citizens."
As the Department of Justice begins the process of closing private prisons, both Cox and Young are pressuring Congress to provide the Bureau of Prisons with sufficient resources to house and rehabilitate inmates in federal institutions, and work on meaningful reforms to decrease the overcrowding in our nation's prisons.
"We have always believed that private profits should never come before public safety, and we commend DOJ for coming to the same conclusion," Young said.
Recent AFGE News:
AFGE Celebrates LGBTQIA+ Pride Month
June 05, 2023
June 1 marks the beginning of LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other gender and sexuality expansive individuals take time to celebrate and reflect on progress made and what lies ahead for the community.
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In Yet Another Win, AFGE TSA Members Expand Official Time and Union Representation
June 05, 2023
The MOA expands the amount of official time granted to AFGE TSA Council 100 members and provides workspaces for union representatives at most locals.
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