Unionizing the Convicted Class on the Eve of Mass Incarceration: Uncovering the Historical Roots of Prison and Labor Inequalities

Awarded Scholars:
Michael Gibson-Light, University of Denver
Project Date:
Mar 2023
Award Amount:
$30,000

Although most prisoners work behind bars, they are not classified as employees and are thus denied many rights and protections. This workforce suffers sparse wages and harsh treatment without the ability to organize against underregulated conditions. Sociologist Michael Gibson-Light will examine attempts by incarcerated people to unionize in the 1970s to better understand the challenges that today’s imprisoned workers encounter. He will conduct a historical analysis of three labor organizations that were at the center of the 1970s prison labor movement for his study.

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