Since September 9, prisoners in the U.S. have been on strike in more than 30 correctional facilities to protest their exploitation as workers and the ridiculously low wages they receive in prison, under conditions characteristic of insitutionalized slavery. They demand real wages, adequate health care, education programs, and the shortening of life sentences. On September 24, even the guards in various prisons did not come to work (although without officially expressing their solidarity).

Fillmclip: “Stop being a slave: the largest prisoner strike in U.S. history”
USA 2016, 2 min, english with dt. UT (http://de.labournet.tv/aufhoeren-ein-sklave-zu-sein-der-groesste-gefangegenstreik-der-geschichte-der-usa)

This nationwide strike was organized in part by the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee (IWOC), a project of the IWW union. Since IWOC began the project in 2014, 900 prisoners have become union members. But the strike has involved many more prisoners: according to estimates, over 50,000 have participated. Smuggled-in cell phones and social media were critical to organizing.

There is almost no coverage of this strike in mainstream media and prisoners are punished for their participation in the protests.

IWOC is asking for donations to support the prisoners’ strike. They also participate in the publication of the Incarcerated Worker, a small magazine written and edited by prisoners (more information on the website [1]).

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[1]http://iwoc.noblogs.org/