Inmates in German prisons have to work (prison labour) if their health status is good enough, because article 12 of the German Constitution allows “forced labour” in prisons.
Working for the armaments industry
In Straubing's prison, built at the end of the 19th century in a town in Bavaria, inmates have to work for the MTU (
http://mtu.de), a company which produces power plants for the Eurofighter, a war plane. The site of the MTU in the prison gets its own official certification as an “aviation-factory for aeroplanes of Germany's army”. For their work inmates are earning between €8.51 and €14.18 per day.
Protests against this situation?
Inmates from Straubing report that most of the workers for the MTU are “proud” about their “responsible” work, so there seems no appreciation of the difficulties that exist. Maybe one reason is that the administration of the prison is fighting hard against anyone who refuses the prison labour.
Current discussion about IKEA
After a TV-report on a Swedish television program about IKEA (that popular furniture store and producer) and its involvements in prison labour in the GDR (until 1989 in East Germany inmates had to work for IKEA) a discussion has begun this year. And everyone condemns the fact of using inmates in the GDR for IKEA. It is difficult to compare the inhuman living conditions at prisons in the GDR until 1989 with the situation in 2012, but I think we have to question why people and politicians are still criticizing prison labour in the GDR by IKEA but do not criticize for example prison labour for companies like MTU, where inmates must support wars, and if they refuse to work, they would be punished for it.
Where can I register a protest about this situation?
Anyone who wants to protest against this situation could send e-mails to:
The Chairman of the Directors of MTU
Mr. Egon BEHLE
info@mtu.de
The Director of the prison
Mr. Matthias KONOPKA
poststelle@jva-sr.bayern.de
matthias.konopka@jva-sr.bayern.de
The Minister of Justice of Bravaria
Mrs. Beate MERK
beate.merk@stmjv.bayern.de
In Straubing's prison, built at the end of the 19th century in a town in Bavaria, inmates have to work for the MTU (
http://mtu.de), a company which produces power plants for the Eurofighter, a war plane. The site of the MTU in the prison gets its own official certification as an “aviation-factory for aeroplanes of Germany's army”. For their work inmates are earning between €8.51 and €14.18 per day. Protests against this situation?
Inmates from Straubing report that most of the workers for the MTU are “proud” about their “responsible” work, so there seems no appreciation of the difficulties that exist. Maybe one reason is that the administration of the prison is fighting hard against anyone who refuses the prison labour.
Current discussion about IKEA
After a TV-report on a Swedish television program about IKEA (that popular furniture store and producer) and its involvements in prison labour in the GDR (until 1989 in East Germany inmates had to work for IKEA) a discussion has begun this year. And everyone condemns the fact of using inmates in the GDR for IKEA. It is difficult to compare the inhuman living conditions at prisons in the GDR until 1989 with the situation in 2012, but I think we have to question why people and politicians are still criticizing prison labour in the GDR by IKEA but do not criticize for example prison labour for companies like MTU, where inmates must support wars, and if they refuse to work, they would be punished for it.
Where can I register a protest about this situation?
Anyone who wants to protest against this situation could send e-mails to:
The Chairman of the Directors of MTU
Mr. Egon BEHLE
info@mtu.de The Director of the prison
Mr. Matthias KONOPKA
poststelle@jva-sr.bayern.de matthias.konopka@jva-sr.bayern.de The Minister of Justice of Bravaria
Mrs. Beate MERK
beate.merk@stmjv.bayern.de
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