South Dakota State Penitentiary Maintenance Workers Join Teamsters

Chris Pick, a maintenance worker at the facility, described the organizing process as a test of resolve against high-level DOC management tactics. The workers are tasked with maintaining safety and infrastructure within the Level IV correction facility, a role that James Heeren, a business agent at Local 120, identified as essential to daily prison operations. Heeren noted that the union now intends to prioritize securing a contract that reflects the demanding nature of their labor.

Teamsters Local 120 represents more than 15,000 workers across five states, including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota. This organizing win follows an ongoing push by the union to expand its footprint in the region, bringing facility staff into the fold to standardize treatment and working conditions.