UNICOR

by **Louis** on Wed Feb 20, 2002 6:17 pm

In 1934 Legislation was passed creating FPI which is essentially a government run manufacturing operation that goes by the name of UNICOR. This "company" competes with private industry by using prison labor, costing less than $2,000 per employee per year. And that includes benefits.

In 2000, there were close to 22,000 prisoners making items such as wiring harness for the Defense Departments guided missiles, (duck) bunk beds for military bases, executive desks and chairs, plastic pallets, bedding and blankets and recently - an electronic recycling business.

A good program gone bad!

In the last two decades the prison population has grown by 600% UNICOR is mandated to seek new business in order to employ a minimum of 25% of the total prison population.

Worse yet, they get first shot at any and all government contracts - essentially locking out competition.

So what is your take - Keep the system as is? Cut it back to help our suffering manufacturing base? (Think China here folks)

Should we become a "service" based country or make an attempt to salvage what we have left of what was once the worlds best manufacturing country? What will it be - cheap prices or jobs?

Silly Poly Questions Moderator

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[This message has been edited by Louis (Edited: 02/24/02).]

by **Brian In Manufacturing** on Wed Feb 20, 2002 6:47 pm

Well... As I cannot buy anything without a job I vote for jobs.

In theroy this UNICOR would teach inmates a useful skill. From my POV as an operator struggling agains alot of BS to learn a "skill" I highly resent any program that give FREE training to bloody prison inmates, who then are released to compete against me in the job market... I'm a law-abiding tax paying American... Where the heck is my free training?! Maybe I should bump off my arch-nemisis so I can cash in on this...

Last comment: We're letting these people build MISSILE parts?! Which missiles?! :eek:

---------------------------------------
Brian "Not JUST An Operator!" Richard
PACTIV, INC
Canandaigua, N.Y
Department 901C Foam Extrusion
---
Proud Sponsor Of The 2002 World Tour Of Garbage Trucks On Ice!
NOTHING Can Stop Garbage Trucks On Ice!

by **Will Call** on Thu Feb 21, 2002 11:50 am

While I too need a job to buy things, I would still prefer to see the inmates working. I'm not familiar with UNICOR, but would imagine there is money being made by the penal institutes involved so it would reduce the tax burden on law-abiding citizens. Am I correct in this assumption?

If so, I still believe there should be a drive to shut down the massive exodus to China. If not, still shut it down.

I'm worried enough about inmates working on missles, what's next, home and business security systems?

Bill

Moen, Incorporated
[email protected]

by **chevysky** on Thu Feb 21, 2002 12:50 pm

Louis,

Your right about this one my friend. Hell, our prison in Huntsville, Tx. has it's own injection molding facility. These inmates make all of their own plates, forks, trays and KNIFES which are made out of Polycarbonate. Hate to get stuck with one of those. They need to leave the business sector alone. I say give em a trash bag and kick em out on the interstate hwys. Does Georgia still have the "chain gang"?

Todd

by **PJJR** on Thu Feb 21, 2002 1:23 pm

Their labor should be utilized, perhaps building homes for the poor and low income families.
Cleaning up toxic waste sites, or working for Arthur Andersen.

Or perhaps making cell phones here.

"the only constant in life is change"

by **Aahz** on Thu Feb 21, 2002 11:06 pm

Sounds like slavery to me.

Seems like another aspect of the "New Deal" FDR crippled the country with back then. The effects of which we still suffer from today...

GBYA

Aahz

by **Dr. Dick** on Fri Feb 22, 2002 8:22 am

Originally posted by: PJJR
Their labor should be utilized, perhaps building homes for the poor and low income families.
Cleaning up toxic waste sites, or working for Arthur Andersen.

Or perhaps making cell phones here.

"the only constant in life is change"

Or perhaps building ex-President's memorial libraries. :rolleyes:
Dr. Dick

"If you want to soar with the Eagles in the morning.......
You can't hoot with us Owls all night"

by **robert** on Fri Feb 22, 2002 11:06 am

Well, here in GA we have'em cleaning the roads and digging ditches.

I will say it sure makes you feel good knowing that all the tax dollars we pay isnt going to just feed and cloth them.

Robert

by **Louis** on Fri Feb 22, 2002 2:26 pm

My vote goes to the digging ditches and cleaning the roadways!

But then I'm hoping to keep my job in plastics - so I may be prejudiced.

Silly Poly Questions Moderator

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 _________________________

Happiness isn't around the corner - it IS the corner!

by **Larry A.** on Fri Feb 22, 2002 5:27 pm

Now, what they should do is have Unicore cover the costs of medical benefits for the prisoners and their dependents, and then pay back to the state a royalty per hour to make their costs more realistic, but still make it profitable (ex: Unicor pays back to the state minumum wage for each prisoner).

That would make them closer to the costs of real manufacturing though lower.

Originally posted by: Louis

In 1934 Legislation was passed creating FPI which is essentially a government run manufacturing operation that goes by the name of UNICOR. This "company" competes with private industry by using prison labor, costing less than $2,000 per employee per year. And that includes benefits.

<some stuff deleted for brevity>
_________________________
 
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 _________________________

Happiness isn't around the corner - it IS the corner!

Be One With The Extruder, Luke

by **Louis** on Sun Feb 24, 2002 11:38 am

Prison

1. a place where persons are confined.
2. a building, usually with cells, where convicted criminals are confined.
3. a building where accused persons are awaiting trial.

Tony, yea it's me Louie. Hey man, I'm on route 209 just past that little joint we used to visit where Rosy worked. Yeah, you remember.

Ok So here’s the plan, there’s only one pig carrying, so it should be easy. Get here around noon, that’s when they break for lunch. Stage the accident, and when they aint lookin, we're outta here man.

Cell phones for road gangs? now there is a bright idea!

Going by the definition of the word, a prison should be just that, a place where one is held. The various levels of comfort that we as a society choose to make available to the prisoner might have more to do with our ability to sleep well at night than helping to rehabilitate the criminal.

Isn’t the word rehabilitate a bit of an oxymoron. If one were habilitated, why would one need to go through the process again?

Oh, stupid me, I almost forgot - it's because they are criminals!

But I digress -

Back to the question, should we continue expanding UNICOR or disband it.

Pros

The labor is cheap
It gives the inmate something to occupy time - thus lessening the unrest that takes place with idle minds and hands.
The government gets supplies at a discounted rate (more on that later)
We may salvage a poor sole that went astray and gain a valuable member in society.

Cons

The government has a tendency to purchase $500.00 toilet seats, so they probably pay the same to UNICOR. So much for those savings.
The risk of faulty parts getting into the system is greatly enhanced. (Think about that missile control!)
private industry suffers as more and more jobs go to the government.

After all, the government (US for those that were paying attention) is building and equipping their plants, and supplying them with a cheap, captive labor force. In other countries, the US would denounce any such attempt to exploit.

I'm sure we could add to each side of the argument. Larry’s idea is a good one, have UNICOR pay back a royalty to the government! (US)

I know, more questions, no answers, but the dialog helps me to feel better about it.

Silly Poly Questions Moderator

_________________________
 
<a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_new">[email protected]</a>
 _________________________

Happiness isn't around the corner - it IS the corner!

[This message has been edited by Louis (Edited: 02/24/02).]

by **Brian In Manufacturing** on Mon Feb 25, 2002 1:18 pm

Originally posted by: zman

So what do we do about this?

Contact your local rep/senator. Already drafting a letter to Mrs. Clinton about this issue.

I can't stand the fact that I have to pay for skill training while these criminals get it for free... Like I said above, maybe I should wack my arch-nemisis so I can cash in on this...

One problem... I don't have an arch-nemisis...

Now accepting applications!

---------------------------------------
Brian "Not JUST An Operator!" Richard
PACTIV, INC
Canandaigua, N.Y
Department 901C Foam Extrusion
---
Proud Sponsor Of The 2002 World Tour Of Garbage Trucks On Ice!
NOTHING Can Stop Garbage Trucks On Ice!

by **PJJR** on Tue Feb 26, 2002 12:28 am

Prisoners?, hell get them a Mercedes SUV, a platinum Amex card, and raise my taxes

Later

"the only constant in life is change"