years then in clerical jobs making a maximum of $0.32 an hour it sounds like another time or a coen brothers movie but it's happening right now there are no benefits no organizing and no strikes this is big business for state and for profit prisons to sell inmate labor to fortune $500.00 slike chevron bank of america to 18 t. and the u.s. military to nearly half the population in prison make military uniforms body armor helmets and provide labor as some contractors for fortune $500.00. they make office furniture man call centers take otel reservations or can slaughter houses or manufacture textiles shoes and clothing for pennies prison labor part of why some state and private prisons a multi-billion dollar profit. not only are prisoners used to make products prisoners themselves are sold this products since the 1980 s. the prison population has boomed now 150 private prisons are paid billions by state governments to house prisoners private prisons do so well some of their biggest investors are banks like wells fargo bank of america many private prisons demand 90 or even 100 percent occupancy