Interns could claim unpaid wages

According to the How Do web site an Employment Tribunal ruling means that unpaid interns could now be entitled to claim back the national minimum wage, even if they originally agreed to work for nothing.

The National Union of Journalists is also calling on fellow unions and organisations opposed to free internships to join its campaign to end them.
“We will play our part in the campaign to bring exploitative employers to book, using minimum wage legislation and other legal means, to steadily change internship culture from one of exploitation to one of genuine learning opportunities,” said NUJ general secretary, Jeremy Dear.
The crucial case came in November last year, when the Reading Employment Tribunal ruled in favour of an intern who worked for a production company in London. Despite agreeing only to receive expenses, she later decided to seek payment after the internship ended. The tribunal recognised that a worker is entitled to the National Minimum Wage - whether or not they have agreed to work for nothing.
It potentially opens the door to anyone who has worked as an unpaid intern, to recover up to £232 per 40-hour week.
Interns could claim unpaid wages “This practice continues to exploit dreams and exclude new talent, undermining the diversity of our profession, just when we should be nurturing and supporting the people coming into the industry,” continued Dear.
To recover the minimum wage through an Employment Tribunal, you would have to make the claim no later than 3 months after a payment would have been due.
Should you fall beyond this, yet within 6 years of finishing the internship, you can apply through the county courts.
This ruling does not apply to students on work experience placements.

Is Media Studies at University a good idea?

This is a question I am regularly asked and my answer is "don't!".

Let me explain, in my opinion most media degrees are all about theory and don't actually prepare you for a career in the media. I have some evidence to back this claim up. Firstly, I have delivered and then improved the technical units of a City & Guilds Media Induction course which is described as.....

"This qualification is for new entrants to audio visual industries, both freelance and employed, or those who are looking for their first role in the field. You don't need any previous experience and you don't need to be working already. "

We delivered this 9 times in a year and for at least the first 6 or 7 most of the students were media graduates who routinely told me that "they had learnt more about the media industry in 10 days than there entire 3 year degree course".

Secondly, I am the NVQ assessor for the Advanced Media Apprenticeship scheme that has been piloted here in Manchester as is now in its 4th year. It is now being rolled out nationally. It was the industry itself that have driven this programme forward because they haven't been getting enough new entrants into the industry with the correct knowledge and experience.

These apprentices get practical and relevant knowledge based study at college as well as real work based placements in a wide range of industry placements for up to 12 weeks at a time where they undertake real jobs and so get experience, and build up a reputation in the industry.

The apprentices go on and get real jobs in our industry because they have a proven track record and an qualification respected by the industry because they have been involved in forming and developing it. That said I think there are a few careers paths where a degree is still useful like Journalism for example. But remember most people get work in this industry by being able to prove then can do the job and being known by key people.

Here is a video completed from star to finish by a team of the apprentices...

CIPD gets it wrong on interns’ pay

The TUC "Rights for Interns" web site has posted about a new Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) report on interns rights and pay. The TUC site says....

A CIPD report out this week calls for a new National Minimum Wage ‘training rate’ of £2.50 to be applied to all internships.  In response, the TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber commented “Although this proposal is well-meaning, in practice it would represent a  significant watering-down of the current rights for most interns. The vast majority already have the right to be paid the minimum wage in full, and the problem has been in getting employers to face up to their responsibilities.  What is really needed is simply better awareness and enforcement of the existing law.”

CIPD assert that interns and apprentices share considerable similarities, warranting a common wage entitlement.  But we would question this.  Apprenticeships are governed by regulations and vocational frameworks that guarantee a certain level of quality (or at least consistency) and lead to a recognised qualification.  Internships do not, they don’t even exist in the law and their design and delivery are governed exclusively by the whim of the employer. 

The Low Pay Commission introduced a training rate in the early days of the National Minimum Wage.  It was not widely used but when it was it was often abused, with employers taking people on a reduced rate but offering little in terms of training.  Under these proposals, we see potential for similar sharp practices that a voluntary code of practice would fail to address.  Its telling to note that the LPC shelved the training rate some time ago.

Go to the Rights for Interns site for more details.

According to the People Management site....

The suggested rate of £2.50 is the same as a newly announced government rate for apprentices. This was announced at the same time as increases in the national minimum wage. The adult minimum will increase by 2 per cent in October to £5.93 an hour. Workers aged between 18 and 20 will receive a 9p increase to £4.92, while those aged 16 or 17 will get £3.64 – a rise of 7p.

It seems like one step forward and two steps back with a reduction in payment. I agree with the TUC that the alignment of internships and apprenticeships is not a valid one and the start, or even continuation, of a slippery slope.


Folks, another reason to join a union to have someone who can protect and fight for your interests.

Rights for Interns

The TUC has started a new web site to help folk who are on unpaid work experience of as the Americans call it interns, a phrase that is getting used more and more here in the UK and somehow gives the idea of working for free some credence.

My own union BECTU has been very pro-active in this area as unpaid posts are prevalent in the media industry. "If you a job you are going to have to work for free so we can see if you are any good. If you are we might offer you a job...."

BECTU – fighting exploitation in the audio-visual industries
BECTU is the union that represents people working in film, TV and other audio-visual industries.  This industry is rife with unpaid work.  BECTU believe that 1 in 6 of their members is working for no pay, and they have been campaigning against the exploitation of unpaid work. In November 2009, film worker Nicola Vetta, with BECTU’s support, won a very significant Employment Tribunal case against London Dreams Motions Pictures Ltd over non-payment.

Even though there are strict regulations on this practice they don't seem to being adhered to.

Now we all sometimes need to offer a 'lost leader' to get a foot on the ladder but consider it very carefully as a business decision. Think of it as an investment. Will I get a return on this investment of my time and effort? Weigh this against your "worth".  By working for nothing you are devaluing yourself by saying you are not worth being paid anything for your services.

So if you are starting out, or changing sectors, do go and study this web site so you enter into an internship with your eyes wide open knowing what you are letting yourself in for and most importantly what your rights are.