Trade unionists are worried prisoner labour is undercutting honest workers on the outside.
The issue has come to the surface with news concrete workers jobs' have effectively gone to inmates at Auckland's Paremoremo jail.
The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union says while it understands prisoners need to get work experience, this shouldn't be at the expense of other workers.
National Secretary Andrew Little says the prison service should look very carefully at what it's doing.
But he says something is really wrong if prison labour is taking work from those who have families to support.
He's concerned the situation will worsen as the economy goes further into recession.
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