AFSCME Organizes Angola Prison Staff, Gains 263 New Union Members

In a significant step towards enhancing workplace conditions, more than a dozen AFSCME members and staff embarked on an initiative to organize security and support staff at Angola, the largest maximum-security prison in the U.S. Over a span of four days, they engaged with hundreds of corrections officers and employees, addressing long-standing concerns.

Sonia Rico, president of HOPE AFSCME Local 123, was among the volunteers from Houston who participated. "For the young people that we talked to, we were letting them know about what the union is and what we had won in our own contract," she explained. "I told them, ‘You have to be involved.’”

The discussions focused on improving disciplinary procedures and tackling the issue of low staffing levels. By the conclusion of the organizing effort, 263 employees had joined the union, highlighting a growing collective effort to improve conditions.

Organizers believe that better working conditions for Angola's employees will lead to a more positive environment for both staff and the incarcerated individuals. "When conditions get better and workers have what they need, the environment would change for everybody," Rico remarked.

Changes are already visible, according to staff feedback. "Since that organizing drive, people now feel like they have a voice," Coody said. "You can definitely tell the working atmosphere has changed for the better."

The union's relationship with Warden Darrel Vannoy, who oversees the facility, is described as constructive, further supporting the ongoing efforts for improvement.

Last year, AFSCME Council 17 members successfully resisted legislative attempts to undermine union rights in Louisiana. This new wave of union membership at Angola signifies the corrections officers' commitment to using their collective voice for workplace advancements.

Public safety professionals, including those in corrections, law enforcement, and emergency response, are increasingly turning to unions like AFSCME to build strength and protect community freedoms. To learn more about these efforts, visit the AFSCME Public Safety website.