trending articles: trending articles: 'this is slavery': u.s. inmates strike in what activists call one of the biggest prison protests in modern history published: october 28, 2016 source: la times 




in his 29 years in prison, david bonner has mopped floors, cooked hot dogs in the cafeteria and, most recently, cut sheets of aluminum into alabama license plates. 




the last job paid $2 a day <u+2014> enough to buy a bar of soap at the commissary or make a short phone call. 




"this is slavery," said bonner, who is 51 and serving a life sentence for murder. "we're forced to work these jobs and we get barely anything.<u+201d> 




he was speaking on a mobile phone smuggled into his 8-by-12 foot cell in alabama<u+2019>s holman correctional facility, where he and dozens of other inmates were on strike. 




they<u+2019>re among a growing national movement of prisoners who have staged work stoppages or hunger strikes this fall to protest dismal wages, abusive guards, overcrowding and poor healthcare, among other grievances. 




prisoners<u+2019> rights activists say the coordinated effort is one of the largest prison protests in modern history, drawing in at least 20,000 inmates in at least 24 prisons in 23 states. 




corrections officials have confirmed inmate protests in michigan, south carolina and florida since early september. in california, at least 300 inmates have been involved in hunger strikes at jails in santa clara and merced counties. 




in several states, including virginia, ohio and texas, officials have denied claims by activists that strikes have occurred. 




alabama officials acknowledged the protest at the holman prison, 52 miles northeast of mobile, though they said it was limited to a one-day strike by 60 inmates who worked in the kitchen and license plate plant <u+2014> far less extensive than the 10-plus days in september and october that activists described. 




"i know there are inmates who are saying there is this big, wide work stoppage but that is just not the case," said alabama dept. of corrections spokesman bob horton. 




horton denied inmate reports that the prison had been on lockdown in response to strikes, which he described as "peaceful." but he also said he understood some of prisoners' complaints about living conditions. holman is "overcrowded and understaffed," horton said, adding that state officials were working to fix the problem.
'this is slavery': u.s. inmates strike in what activists call one of the biggest prison protests in modern history
noauthor