Duluth Prison employees have more questions than answers about future

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Few answers for employees on prison closure

Local news, sports, weather presented by the WDIO News Team

Over a month since the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) announced that the Duluth Federal Prison Camp would be “deactivated” employees are still searching for answers.

The initial announcement brought shock to the nearly 90 employees at the facility, saying that the staff would be moved primarily to the Sandstone Prison, about 70 miles from the Duluth Camp.

“It’s not an option for a lot of people. Individuals that have kids in the community or elderly parents that they’re caring for, things of that nature, they just won’t be able to make that commute to Sandstone.” Said Brandy Moore White, the National President for the Council of Prison Locals, who was in Duluth to discuss the situation with union members.

According to the union, the facility at Sandstone is currently overstaffed, and is unlikely to be able to take on the additional employees from Duluth.

Tonya Gajeski, President of the American Federation of Government Employees local 3935, which represents prison employees, says prison employees haven’t been provided any timeline as to when a closure could be expected.

“There really isn’t any guidance. The BOP isn’t giving us any guidance as far as what we should be doing. If we should be moving forward, if we should be waiting to see what happens,” Gajeski said in an interview with WDIO, “We’re just kind of in a holding pattern right now. And we’re just kind of waiting to see where this goes.”

Union officials have been in contact with US Representative Pete Stauber, as well as Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tiny Smith regarding the closure.

The BOP had said back in December that the inmates housed in Duluth would be transferred to other Prisons by the end of January. Currently, Gajeski says, around 200 have been relocated, leaving behind just under 500 at the camp.