The Aramark Folly

By Alan J. Kilar



Although flopping around like a dying fish, the states contract with Aramark to provide
prison food service continues to receive support from Department of Corrections
leadership.

From day one this contract was flawed. The Republican controlled state legislature
determined that food services in Michigans state run prisons would be put out for private
bids. The original bids were rejected by the State because the bids did not show the
mandated 5% savings. However after pressure from Republican legislators, the original
bids were recalculated and Aramark was awarded the contract putting over 370 state
employees out of work. And in the bidding process little concern was given to Aramarks
lengthy history of dismal performance in providing prison food service.

In Ohio, there have been several near-riots in prisons after they ran out of food. Florida
fired Aramark long ago for contract violations and for boosting their profits by skimping
on inmate meals. And Kentucky did the same, after lousy Aramark food service provoked
an actual prison riot. Later, an audit discovered what the state said were food quality
issues and overbilling.

In Ohio newspapers have called on the Republican Governor to cancelled the Aramark
contract for numerous issues including maggots in the food, staffing shortages, and
running out of food, presumably to maximize profits.

These examples pale in comparison to what has been happening in Michigan: over 100
Aramark employees have been banded from the prisons for various infractions; on
numerous occasions maggots have been found in food prep areas and near prisoners
food; at one facility prisoners became sick with a gastrointestinal illness after maggots
were found in the food; Aramark employees engaging in sex acts with inmates, and two
Aramark workers smuggled in drugs one brought 39 packages of heroin, cocaine,
marijuana and tobacco into a prison. But it gets worse- an Aramark food service worker
at Kinross Correctional Facility in the eastern Upper Peninsula is suspected of
approaching an inmate about arranging to have another inmate killed.

When maggots were discovered in the food, the Snyder administration announced a
$98,000 fine. After it was consistently reported that the fine was paid emails obtain by
the press found the secret cancellation of a $98,000 fine by the Department of
Corrections Director Dan Hyne who told Gov. Rick Snyders office he would tone down
[his] attack dogs, delay or cancel any fines.

Last month Snyder announce Aramark would be fined $200,000 for failure to live up to
the contract. Snyder continues to defend the contract and stated that while there have
been unacceptable errors in connection with the prison food contract, not all of them
have been the fault of Aramark Correctional Services.

To monitor the contract, Snyder has hired the former chief of prisons in Florida and
Indiana, Edwin Buss. Buss will be paid $160,000 a year. His salary is being covered with
a $200,000 fine that the state levied against Aramark . Even, after Buss begin his job in
early September more reports of stop orders and inadequate food continued.

So why is this contract still being honored and defended. The truth lies in two facts: it is
election year and it is better to keep digging a hole than admit to a mistake: and the
current state legislature is embodied with many legislators who believe that privatization
of public services is valued goal and that the provisions of services is best provided by
the private for profit sector. And we must not forget that big businesses such as Aramark
contribute to political parties and candidates in many different ways.

The issue of whether or not to continue this contract has been debated for the last several
months in the media. Now you can voice your opinion on this issue when you vote
November 4th!