California Is Paying Inmates $2 A Day To Fight Record-Breaking Wildfires, Some Critics Are Comparing This Prison Firefighting Program To Slave Labor

California Is Paying Inmates $2 A Day To Fight Record-Breaking Wildfires, Some Critics Are Comparing This Prison Firefighting Program To Slave Labor

#Roommates, let’s talk. The state of California is using prison labor to fight multiple record-breaking wildfires burning statewide. According to The San Fransisco Chronicle, the inmates are earning an average of $2 per day and $1 per hour when they are fighting active fires.

While some people are saying this is a good gig for the inmates (they get to earn some money and time off of their sentences for good behavior), others are comparing this back-straining work to slave labor. Why? Well, because salaried firefighters earn an average of $74,000 a year plus benefits, and critics are arguing that the inmates deserve a reasonable wage since this is dangerous work and they’re risking their lives.

“It’s not something that they’re forced to do,” Cal Fire spokeswoman Lynne Tolmachoff said, adding it gives many a sense of purpose. “With a lot of the guys we’ve spoken to, they feel like they’re giving back to the state, helping in that way,” she added.

What do y’all think?

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