lang: en
Summary
In September 2022, incarcerated individuals across Alabama prisons went on strike to protest inhumane conditions and demand systemic reforms, including parole reform and an end to life-without-parole sentences. The strike lasted 23 days and gained national attention, but none of the demands were met and no systemic changes occurred. The campaign was led by inmate organizers and the advocacy group Both Sides of the Wall.
Background
In December 2020, the US Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Alabama for unconstitutional prison conditions, citing inadequate protection from violence, unsafe conditions, and excessive force. Incarcerated people worked for pennies per day in prison kitchens, laundries, and factories, and faced retaliation for speaking to the media. The campaign aimed to establish mandatory parole criteria, repeal the Habitual Felony Offender Act, eliminate life-without-parole sentences, and create oversight and review mechanisms.
What happened
On 26 September 2022, prisoners across Alabama went on strike, halting unpaid labor in kitchens, laundries, and maintenance, while activists protested at the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) central office [source: nv-database]. Families, activists, and former inmates assembled with signs and speakers, including Eric Buchanon, who listed eight demands such as parole reform and a conviction integrity unit [source: nv-database]. The strike had been planned since June 2022, and organizer Diyawn Caldwell estimated 80% of the approximately 25,000 incarcerated individuals participated [source: nv-database]. In response, ADOC reduced meals to cold breakfast and dinner, closed commissaries, halted visitations, locked down prisons, and placed some inmates in solitary confinement [source: nv-database]. Governor Kay Ivey refused the demands, calling them unreasonable and citing public safety [source: nv-database]. Violence increased inside prisons, with two inmates dying in stabbings [source: nv-database]. The strike ended on 15 October after 23 days; most operations resumed but commissaries remained closed [source: nv-database]. No demands were met and no systemic change resulted, though activists celebrated national attention [source: nv-database].
Key people & organizations
- Diyawn Caldwell
- Both Sides of the Wall
- Eric Buchanon
- Alabama Department of Corrections
- Governor Kay Ivey
Tactics used
- boycotts-and-strikes
- assemblies-of-protest-or-support
The industry strike halted the prison labor system that relied on cheap inmate work, directly disrupting operations and drawing attention to conditions, while simultaneous assemblies at the ADOC office amplified demands and pressured officials publicly. [source: nv-database]
Outcome
Verdict: lost.
The campaign achieved no systemic changes or concessions from the state; Governor Ivey rejected all demands as unreasonable, and the strike ended without any reforms. However, it gained national attention and highlighted prison conditions, which organizers considered a partial victory. [source: nv-database]
Lessons
- Prison labor strikes can disrupt operations and draw media attention, but may face severe retaliation such as lockdowns and reduced food.
- Sustained pressure from both inside and outside prisons (strikes plus public protests) can amplify demands, but without political allies or leverage, systemic change is unlikely.
- Planning and coordination among inmates and external advocacy groups can enable a high participation rate even in repressive environments.
Sources
Disclaimer: Included as a teaching example of campaign craft, not as endorsement.
Sources & verification
nv-database— grounding: primary — license: link-only- Rewritten: 2026-06-25 via
worker_casestudies_v2.py