An independent arbitrator has sided with the first Black woman union president at a Yazoo City federal prison who faced gender discrimination, retaliation and violation of her union contract.
FILE - The Yazoo City Federal Corrections Complex in Yazoo City, Miss., is shown Feb. 9, 2007. At the federal prison in Yazoo City, Mississippi, the official tasked with investigating staff misconduct has been the subject of numerous complaints and has been arrested multiple times. But the Bureau of Prisons has not removed him from the position and did not suspend him after his arrests, which is a standard practice when Justice Department employees are arrested for criminal offenses.
In her role at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Price said she called out prison management at Federal Correctional Complex Yazoo City for not providing staff and inmates with masks and following federal guidance to minimize the virus’ spread. She also reported management for misconduct to multiple agencies.
In her grievance, Price said former prison Warden Shannon Withers and Assistant Walter Vereen did not grant her official time, saying it was no longer Bureau of Prisons policy. Because she wasn’t granted official time, Price said she took the work home with her. She worked on union matters on top of caring for two young children and a sick husband.
In her grievance, she also alleged the wardens and regional director directed other staff to retaliate against her by writing her up, following her and subjecting her to eight investigations and potential removal from her job as a case manager. Price has worked for the prison for 11 years and she said she had a clear work record until she became union president.“These managers here believe they are beyond reproach. And that’s what I was trying to report,” she said.
Since new leaders have come to the prison, Price said hasn’t experienced harassment and retaliation.