Please arrange a demonstration or educational event for awareness and understanding of the rolling strikes in Texas prisons starting April 4th. Send us pictures here and engage with media as much as possible. Documents will be provided to help you with conversations surrounding this effort.

 

Please share this call out with everyone and invite all your friends!! RSVP to iwoc@riseup.net so we know how many cities we have! Stay in touch: @iww_iwoc, facebook.com/incarceratedworkers.

Only got a minute? Call TDCJ Executive and Deputy Directors Brad Livingston 936-437-2101 & Bryan Collier (936) 437-6251. Tell them you stand with the Texas Prison Strikers. See this event for updates/additional numbers or the list of prisons/contact info here.

In or near Texas? Take Action!

Noise demos or gatherings at the prisons themselves is an option. Find the nearest facility here: https://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/unit_directory/unit_map.html Mothers and Families of the Free Alabama Movement (FAM) have been holding weekly demonstrations at Holman prison in Atmore AL, on every Saturday since the uprisings earlier this month.

- Planning around shift changes can show the guards that the prisoners they hold are not alone.

- Planning for times when visitation gets out is an opportunity to reach out to friends and families.

- Making noise or banners big enough to be seen or heard by will warm incarcerated hearts.

- Prison staff are often not accustomed to respecting people's rights to assembly and free speech, so proceed with care.

Central and regional offices of Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) are also reasonable targets. Find addresses for those offices here: https://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/directory/index.html

Education events or handing out fliers to connect with those with loved ones inside is also a powerful way of building support for now and the long term.

Nowhere near Texas? Target Prison, McDonald’s, or Prison Profiteers

Remember, prison is not merely a set of fences, bars, and chains. It is a social institution which is always present. Since this is a labor strike against prison slavery, it makes sense to target those who exploit prisoners. Many major corporations are guilty of this, and at least one of them probably has a franchise within ten miles of you wherever you are: McDonald’s.

TDCJ brags about how much beef cattle they are raising and putting on the national market to profit off their captives slave labor.* Some of that beef is very likely ending up in happy meals, since McDonald’s uses prison labor.**

Texas prisoners also make computer parts for OnShore, which sources companies like IBM and Compaq, trailerbeds for DirectTrailer, A/C parts (which are not used for A/C in their own facilities***) for Henderson Controls and Chatleff Controls. You can look those places up and see about targeting them, if you'd like, but McDonald’s seems like the easiest most visible target.

Oh, Texas prisoners also make officers’ duty belts, handcuff cases, and prison cell accessories. They are literally forced to produce the direct means of their own unfreedom.

Support our Work: donate at iwoc.noblogs.org/donate.

We who believe in freedom cannot rest--

Solidarity forever,

IWW’s Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee

*http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/10/10/12-mainstream-corporations-benefiting-from-the-prison-industrial-complex/

**http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/10/10/12-mainstream-corporations-benefiting-from-the-prison-industrial-complex/

***http://www.texasobserver.org/tdcj-pork-story-undercooked/