COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio state lawmaker says the state prisons department should terminate its contract with a private food service operator after fining the company last week for repeatedly failing to meet promised staffing levels.
Democratic state Rep. Matt Lundy said Monday that deficiencies identified in Philadelphia-based Aramark Correctional Services’ performance reaffirm his and other opponents’ concerns about privatization.
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction fined Aramark $142,100 Friday.
The private food vendor took over feeding Ohio’s 50,000 prisoners from state employees in September. The contract goes to June 30, 2015. The ACLU says the fine should trigger a reevaluation of the deal.
An Aramark spokeswoman says the transition is complex but the company is saving Ohio money.
Arbitration over Aramark begins Tuesday with a union representing laid off prison employees.
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