Union protests Aramark prison contract

LANSING (DETROIT FREE PRESS) - About 50 unionized state employees demonstrated outside the governor's office today against a private prison food contractor and said Gov. Rick Snyder's recent announcement that he will shift monitoring of the contract into his office is likely an attempt to shield problems with the contract from public scrutiny.

But a spokeswoman for Snyder denied the charge. "Everything that's been shared previously will continue to be shared" and "utmost transparency is in everyone's best interests," said Sara Wurfel.

Unlike the Michigan Department of Corrections, which has been overseeing the $145-million contract with Aramark Correctional Services of Philadelphia since it began in December, the governor's office is exempt from the Michigan Freedom of Information Act.

On July 13, the Free Press published a series of articles documenting widespread problemswith food shortages, smuggling of contraband, food-related prisoner unrest, and Aramark employees getting too friendly with inmates. The reports were based on thousands of pages the newspaper received from the Corrections Department, through FOIA.

Michael Migrin, legislative liaison for the Michigan State Employees Association, an AFSCME union which represented the 370 state food workers displaced by the three-year contract, said he and other members suspect monitoring of the contract is being shifted to the governor's office to shield e-mails and other related records from mandatory disclosure.

"They're going after less transparency," Migrin said as a mix of AFSCME, Michigan Corrections Organization, and UAW Local 6000 leaders and members marched and carried signs outside Snyder's office in Lansing.

Russ Marlan, a spokesman for the Corrections Department, said the change Snyder announced Aug. 8 is "absolutely not" intended to limit public scrutiny.

"The rationale behind it is to make it more independent," Marlan said of the monitoring.

The state has fined Aramark close to $300,000 for various contract infractions and more than 80 Aramark employees have been banned from prison property for breaking rules such as those related to smuggling contraband and fraternizing with inmates.

"We fully acknowledge that our performance has not always been perfect and are committed to continuing to improve," Aramark spokeswoman Karen Cutler said Thursday.

"We are encouraged by the comprehensive contract reforms being made to address critical operational issues that have hindered the partnership over the past seven months" and "we also appreciate the recognition by the state that there have been errors made on both sides," she said.