Union Criticizes Use of Prisoners on Highway Jobs

A state policy that allows the use of state prison inmates for road maintenance has been attacked by the head of a union that represents thousands of Caltrans workers.

William A. Biggs, president of the Alliance of Trades and Maintenance, said the program endangers public safety.

Biggs added, “These inmates are being pushed on us by (the Department of) Corrections with virtually no thought given to our safety or the safety of the public.”

The union represents about 5,000 Caltrans equipment operators, maintenance workers and landscapers.

Biggs said the policy went into effect Nov. 7 on state highways near the remote northeastern California community of Susanville and near Baker, a desert town on Interstate 15 about 60 miles northeast of Barstow. He said prison work crews are scheduled to begin work soon near Desert Center, Indio and Blythe.

But Department of Corrections spokeswoman Christine May said the policy started about 45 years ago and the department is required by law to determine which inmates are eligible for work on crews that are available to state and local agencies for such jobs as cleanup and beautification.

May said most of the crews come from the 38 conservation camps and some of the 19 prisons. Only minimum security inmates are considered.

Last year, the camp crews alone worked 145,247 man-hours for Caltrans, saving the taxpayers more than $1 million. May said the inmates consider it a privilege to work on the crews because it gives them more responsibility and freedom.

Caltrans spokesman Jim Drago said the crews seal cracks, clean culverts, wash road signs and the like, “allowing our people more time to get to other work.” He said the inmates “won’t displace any of our permanent employees.”