In a First, California Moves Toward Paying Incarcerated Firefighters Minimum Wage

brokeassstuart.com

Best I can do is minimum wage for grueling, dangerous work.

12 comments

I knew the US had prison labor but holy hell, I had no idea they had them in dangerous jobs. That's crazy.
- This is worse than you think. These firefighters are locked up, but if they "volunteer" for high risk duties that pay them jack shit, they can get out a little earlier.
  Do we have to explain the perverse incentives this system encourages? It's so dirty.
  
  I just had a convo with someone about how the most dangerous job at their factory, which involves repeatedly getting near a 1700 degree furnace, was always mandated to be the highest hourly rate, even if other jobs were skilled labor, and no one thought this was unfair in the slightest due to the dangers involved.
still crazy how after they get out, they cant even work as firefighters bc they dont hire ex convicts
- They changed that like 1-2 years ago
  
  oh fr? thats awesome!
inmates being paid less than minimum wage will depress everyone's wages.
minimum wage isn't enough.
minimum wage should also be a liveable wage.
imagine how much easier would it be for inmates when released, when they have a few years of hard work savings. which they earned.
- Huge increase from like the $2/hr or something they were getting
Using prison slave labour for firefighting is literally the dumbest shit I've ever heard even ignoring all the ethical issues. You know who I don't want in charge of saving my life from a fire? Someone who's being forced to do it. Because that person probably won't try very hard.
- The prison firefighters all volunteer for that detail. From what I understand, it's one of the harder details to get on.
  But don't dehumanize prisoners with such a broad brush. They are all people too, and when they see someone in dire need, they are still people and will more than likely help.
  But woodland firefighting is very much clearing brush and creating fire lines with literal hand tools. Hoes, chainsaws, and shovels and their primary tools. This isn't a position where firefighters are going into burning buildings looking for injured or trapped people.
- Uh... they're still people. They like doing good rewarding things and they like learning real skills.
  In this case they aren't ever in neighborhoods spraying down homes. These are the guys in hills cutting fire breaks to stop the fires from ever reaching homes.
  None of these fire fighters are forced. Its a job that they earn privileges for doing. They're probably not as gung-ho about it as someone who's made a career of it but they aren't slaves like you're imagining.

12 comments