Despite repeated freedom of information requests from journalists and questions I’ve asked in Parliament, the Victorian Government insists that they can’t divulge which companies utilise prison labour, because that information is ‘commercial in confidence’.
‘Commercial in confidence’ is information which must be kept confidential between the relevant parties.
There are legitimate reasons to not disclose the terms of the contract, but Victorians have the right to know who is profiting from below-minimum-wage prison labour.
When I asked this information from the Minister for Corrections, her response was:
“The release of this information is deemed against the public interest because it could adversely affect the operation of prison industries and its ability improve prisoners’ post-release employment prospects.
In other words, if the public knew which companies hired prison labour, those companies would be less inclined to do so, harming people’s employment chances post-release.
Except many ex-prisoners say they have been denied work by the same companies because they have a criminal record. Companies which utilise prison labour to boost their profits have a responsibility to provide pathways to employment for those workers. If the work they do is good enough for the companies on the inside, it should be good enough on the outside.
Prisoners undertake menial tasks in metal fabrication, furniture manufacturing and assembly work. We do know Victorian prisoners make our number plates and package Qantas headsets.
The pay is well below minimum wage — ranging from $5-8 per hour (but even that is hard to verify).
“I was paid, for a 50 hour week working in the warehouse – $57 for the week. And then when I saw, you know, these industries coming through, and I’m going, well, these are sheets and linen for top-notch hotels made by prison inmates. I don’t know what they’re charging to sell those items. I’d like to see that people being paid the wages that they deserve to be paid.” – former prison inmate.
Paying prisoners below minimum wage gives these companies a competitive advantage. Ex-inmates say the menial tasks leave them unprepared for the real workforce post-release.
Rather than using the time to learn job ready skills, Victorians are idling on assembly lines.
Whilst some see it as fair to pay [prisoners below the award wage, the rates are so poor, many are leaving prison with a pittance. It doesn’t exactly set them up for a better path.
If prison workers were paid properly, they would be able to afford a rental bond on release. A proper wage would reduce the chance of moving from prison to homelessness.
Prisoners refer to the work as ‘slave labour’.
That might sound harsh, but they are paid poorly and punished if they do not participate. So — is the secrecy because it might harm job prospects, or do these companies not want to be known for capitalising on exploitative prison labour?
