In Spain, the uniforms worn by the country's roughly 25,000 prison staff are made by inmates in prison textile workshops. The scheme is run by a state company and is meant to give prisoners real work experience and a better chance of finding a job after release.
The officers are not happy with the result.
The complaint
The prison workers' section of the UGT union says the uniforms are badly made: pockets sewn at different heights, trouser legs of unequal length, colours that run, wrong sizes and sometimes stains. According to the union, the problem is a lack of quality control rather than bad intentions.
When the contract was renewed, the union demanded that it be cancelled and the work given to an external company. It argues that prison staff are treated worse than the national police and the Guardia Civil, whose uniforms are made by established suppliers.
The prison workshop organisation, for its part, says its goal is to produce high-quality goods. As the government has invested in machinery and training in the eight textile workshops inside Spanish prisons, the contract is unlikely to be moved outside soon.
What this means for inmates and families
Behind the story about uniforms is something that matters a lot to families: paid work inside prison. Spanish prisons offer jobs in workshops, kitchens, laundry and maintenance. Work gives the inmate:
- A small income for the prison account (peculio), which reduces the need for money from home.
- Structure in the day and new skills for life after release.
- A positive record that can count when the prison assesses progression to a more open regime.
Places are limited, so it helps to ask early. If your loved one wants to work, they can apply through the prison's treatment team, and we can help you follow up. Contact us.
Source: The Guardian