[860] in peace2
Some Light Reading: Aramark & Prisons (also, stop the ACA)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Saurabh Asthana)
Mon Jul 2 22:14:37 2001
Message-Id: <200107030202.f6322tn11011@chaos11.bwh.harvard.edu>
To: peace-list@mit.edu
Reply-to: rednblack@alum.mit.edu
Date: Mon, 02 Jul 2001 22:02:55 -0400
From: Saurabh Asthana <angrymob@chaos11.bwh.harvard.edu>
For years, MIT students have lauded the fact that our campus food service
does not have connections to the prison industry, like other campuses. Well,
now the tables have turned. While recently Sodhexo-Marriot, food-service
provider to many campuses, apparently divested from the Corrections Corporation
of America, our own provider, Aramark, is expanding it's little-known side
business of providing food services for prisons. Read on, and weep. (Aramark
text begins below ACA-related rant)
Saurabh
P.S.
For those of you interested in fighting prison issues on a broader scale,
the American Correctional Association, an organization responsible for review-
ing a huge number of prisons, and also responsible for approving every one of
those prisons despite egregious violations of human rights, and also an
organization which holds industry conventions where prison industry corporations
may hawk their cheesy & heinous wares (Aramark and Wackenhut will both be there)
is having said convention this summer, in August, in Philadelphia.
A coalition of prison activists will be there to raise hell and let them and
others know that the industrialization and privatization of prisons is not
something that they consider healthy for society, may fairly be called racist,
and perpetuates its own growth (that is, if you build them, they will come).
If you would like to be there, and I strongly encourage you to be there, you
may glean appropriate information at http://www.stoptheaca.org/.
Happy Trails.
------
Enjoy your Aramark-related reading material.
------
November 29, 2000
Aramark to buy Wackenhut
division
Aramark, a Philadelphia-based food service management company, said
Wednesday it has signed an agreement to buy Wackenhut Corp.'s
(NYSE: WAK) prison food service division for an undisclosed sum.
Wackenhut's Correctional Foodservice Management manages food
services for more than 80 prisons and jails in the United States. It had
1999 revenues of $70 million.
In a release, Joseph Neubauer, Aramark's chairman and CEO said,
"Adding CFM's excellent client base and management talent to
Aramark's outstanding food and commissary operations will enable us to
build a broader base of unlimited partnerships in the corrections industry."
Terms of the deal, which is expected to close during the first quarter of
2001, were not released. Aramark manages food services for more than
200 correctional institutions in 32 states. South Florida-based
Wackenhut provides security services and private prison management.
Shares of Wackenhut rose 31 cents to $12.44 in afternoon trading on the
NYSE. Aramark is privately held.
---
May 24, 2001
Civilians will dish out meals to Fla. inmates in privatized cafeterias
DAVID WASSON
of The Tampa Tribune
Prison inmates across Florida soon will have to complain a lot louder if they
don't like the food.
A Philadelphia company is poised to take over all cafeteria operations in
Florida's 132 prisons and inmate work camps this summer, part of Gov. Jeb
Bush's plan to cut the size of the state work force.
The estimated $58 million-a- year deal with Aramark Corp. is expected to
save the state about $8 million annually, according to the Department of
Corrections.
The department will trim 472 food service workers from its payroll, most of
whom are prison guards who will be reassigned to fill vacant positions. The
deal with Aramark requires the remaining 46 food service directors be
given first priority for new jobs with the company.
``What we're doing is shifting the primary mission of officers back to
security,'' said Peggy Ball, chief of staff at the Department of Corrections.
``It will enable correctional officers to get back into their primary mission
rather than having to worry about whether to serve corn or beans.''
The deal marks the first major step forward in Bush's overall privatization
initiative. Lawmakers this month approved the governor's plans for cutting
nearly 5,000 state jobs next year.
A five-year contract, negotiated Tuesday night, is expected to be signed
next week, with the transition to Aramark beginning July 1.
Aramark initially bid $66 million but returned with the lower amount after
state negotiators balked. The only other company expressing interest,
Oldsmar- based Trinity Services Group, bid $69 million and declined the
state's offer to reconsider its price, officials said.
Meanwhile, labor unions representing state workers said Wednesday they
doubt the move will save the state money.
The Florida Police Benevolent Association, which represents state prison
guards, fears that increasing the number of civilian workers inside state
prisons will lead to greater contraband and other security problems.
``It's a bait and switch,'' said Al Shopp, a former prison guard who now
serves as director of business and services for the labor union.
He predicts the savings will be consumed by the need for additional
security in cafeterias.
``What's going to happen when some 300-pound convicted felon tells a
civilian employee working for low pay he's going to have his family killed
unless he gives him an extra pork chop,'' Shopp asked.
``Trained correctional officers know how to deal with those kinds of
situations,'' he added. ``A civilian is going to put up with only so much of
that and then quit showing up for work.''
Agency administrators note that nearly 300 guards will remain assigned to
food service duty and that Aramark has a solid track record of
prison-related food service operations. The company operates cafeterias
in 350 prisons nationwide.
``Aramark is the leading provider of food, laundry, commissary and other
support services to correctional facilities in the U.S.,'' said Debbie Alpine,
a company spokeswoman.
The Florida contract will be among the largest for the company's prison
food services division.
The privately held company, which reported earnings of $420 million on
$7.3 billion in revenue last year, also handles food service operations at
colleges, sports arenas and hospitals. Among its Florida accounts are the
Tampa Convention Center, the University of Florida, the Duval County
school district and employee dining at Disney World.
The company was the primary food service provider during the Republican
National Convention in Philadelphia last summer.
David Wasson covers state government and can be reached at
dwasson@tampatrib.comor (850) 222-8382.
This story can be found at :
http://news.tbo.com/news/MGARB7B14NC.html
-----
ARAMARK Correctional Services 2000 Spring Rd, Oak Brook, IL 60521,
800-777-7090, 630-571-8250, 630-571-0280, Daniel E. Jameson, VP Sales &
Marketing, www.aramarkcorrectional.com, Email: Jamison@aramark.geis.com
Working in partnership since 1976 with State, County and community
correctional facilities and detention centers, ARAMARK Correctional Services
continues to lead the industry in support services management. Our tightly
managed, customized programs help prisons and jails contain costs, increase
efficiency, improve quality, meet ACA and other applicable standards, and
offer inmate vocational training. ARAMARK Correctional Services works in
collaboration with jail and correctional administrators to provide cost-
effective food service management, state of the art commissary programs, and
comprehensive facility/building maintenance services, reducing the burden on
your operation. For more information, call 1-800-777-7090 to request a free
on-site assessment of your current operation or visit our web site at
http://www.ARAMARKCORRECTIONAL.com.
-----
from the www.aramarkcorrectional.com ("Serving over 125,000 inmates at 175
Correctional facilities worldwide")
GOOD FINANCIAL SENSE
When you work with ARAMARK, you'll quickly see the differences. One of the
most significant will be in your budget. You'll benefit from competitive
financial return, which allows you more flexibility to meet your institution's
needs.
You'll also benefit from our national buying power and product offerings. We're
always looking for innovative ways to control costs, and that translates to a
better value for your commissary operation.
ARAMARK Correctional Services has been a trusted leader in the correctional
industry for over 20 years. We're efficient, reliable, cost-effective, and
always guarantee the best service. Let us put our experience to work in your
commissary.
ABOUT ARAMARK CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
Working in partnership since 1976 with State, County and community correctional
facilities and detention centers, ARAMARK Correctional Services continues to
lead the industry in support service management. Our tightly managed,
customized programs help prisons and jails contain costs, increase efficiency,
improve quality, meet ACA and other applicable standards, and offer inmate
vocational training. ARAMARK Correctional Services works in collaboration with
jail and correctional administrators, for both adult and juvenile facilities,
to provide cost-effective food service management, state-of-the-art commissary
programs, and comprehensive facility/building maintenance services.
