Montgomery, Ala. - A class action lawsuit was announced on Tuesday, with current and former inmates challenging Alabama's prison labor program, condemning it as a form of "modern day slavery." The lawsuit alleges that prisoners are subjected to forced labor with little to no pay, performing jobs that primarily benefit government entities or private companies.

According to the plaintiffs, the state's parole system is also targeted for being discriminatory, resulting in a low release rate that ensures a constant supply of laborers while generating profits for the state. Janet Herold, the legal director of Justice Catalyst Law, compared the current prison labor scheme to the convict leasing system, which emerged post-Civil War to replace slavery.

Both the Alabama Department of Corrections and the Alabama attorney general's office declined to provide comments regarding the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges multiple violations, including the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution, anti-human trafficking laws, and the Alabama Constitution. It claims that the state perpetuates a "forced labor scheme" that compels inmates to work under coercion. The suit cites instances of unpaid prison jobs where inmates contribute to the maintenance of facilities. In cases of work release programs, inmates might receive minimum wage or higher, but the prison system deducts 40% from their gross pay to cover incarceration costs, as well as transportation and laundry fees. The lawsuit refers to this reduction as a "labor-trafficking fee."

Former inmate LaKiera Walker, who spent 15 years incarcerated, revealed her own experience of working in unpaid jobs such as housekeeping and unloading trucks. Later, she worked in an inmate road crew earning only $2 a day and eventually landed a work release job at a food company's warehouse freezer, where she worked grueling 12-hour shifts. Walker emphasized the pressure felt by inmates to work even when they were sick, as refusing to do so could result in disciplinary consequences or returning to prison.

Inmate Almireo English highlighted the reliance on trustworthy prisoners to perform unpaid tasks that assist in keeping the prisons running smoothly, allowing prison administrators to allocate their limited staff to other areas.

The state of Alabama, while remaining silent on the matter, has previously asserted that prison and work release jobs prepare inmates for life after incarceration.

Under the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, slavery was abolished, but it permits forced labor "as a punishment for crime." Inmate wages vary across states, but the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has reported that the average hourly wage for jobs within prisons stands at a mere 52 cents.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit include two labor unions. The lawsuit argues that the availability of inmate labor puts downward pressure on wages for all workers and hinders unions' ability to organize and represent workers.

Similar initiatives and lawsuits in other states have also raised concerns and questioned the utilization of inmate labor. In September, men incarcerated at the Louisiana State Penitentiary lodged a lawsuit asserting that they were compelled to work in the prison's fields without proper compensation, even when temperatures exceeded 100 degrees.

As the lawsuit gains traction, it brings to light the contentious issue of labor practices within the Alabama prison system and raises broader questions about the treatment and rights of incarcerated individuals.