Archive for July, 2009



Running in Heels

The Sun has a good story about a new intern-orientated docusoap called Running in Heels. It proports to offer a “warts-and-all insight into life on the lowest rung of the fashion ladder – the intern.” Sounds fascinating.

“Every year, hundreds of hopefuls work up to 60 hours a week for FREE, in the hope of eventually landing a permanent job. The show follows three girls working for Marie Claire in New York as they strive to impress their bosses into giving them paid job.”

 Brolly hell ... struggling with coffees and mags

Sound familiar? One Saskia Quirke writes of her Devil Wears Prada day:

“I WAKE at 6am after a restless night of what-to-wear worries.”

I think she should be worrying more about her sanity having agreed to work 60 hours a week for nothing.

“I haven’t eaten since 8am and I’m starving. But these are fashion people and food is for losers.”

I thought bulimia went out of fashion when John Prescott admitted to having it?

Whoever said fashion is fabulous hadn’t been an intern at Marie Claire. I’ll stick to my day job thanks.”

Except you cant get a day-job unless you have been an intern! Arghgh! The internship Catch 22! There is no mention of how she is affording life in New York. I will hazard a guess that a room in Brooklyn is as costly as any in London.

The programme itself might shed some light.  Running In Heels airs on The Style Network (Sky Channel 253) at 10pm on Tuesdays. I won’t be  watching, as I doubt I could stomach much more than what is quoted here. 

What tangible things can employers offer unpaid interns short of a salary?

I’ve just finished a year in which I did a good deal of unpaid work after graduating in July 2008. I’ve now been offered full-time employment and have realised that I’ve gained an awful lot from interning (it is a verb by now, isn’t it?) and believe it was worth much more than an MA in my case.

However, there are too many examples of employers offering the interns very little apart from the name of the organisation on one’s CV. Take this as an example. Filing? Booking flights? Expenses claims? Basically, they can’t afford another decent full or part-time administrator which they clearly need. And there’s no mention of expenses. Shame on UNHCR.

Continue reading ‘What tangible things can employers offer unpaid interns short of a salary?’

Phil Willis MP on Interns

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Phil Willis MP spoke at the launch of the Unite interns agreement on 18th June. This is what he said:

“Interns are the real un-sung heroes of our parliamentary system; it is estimated that around 18,000 hours of unpaid work is undertaken by interns in parliament every single week. As MPs we need to recognise this invaluable contribution, and strive to improve conditions for all of those that work in our offices in whatever capacity. There are two elements to improving parliamentary internships; quality and access. The Unite Interns Agreement is a really significant step towards ensuring that all interns have a positive and rewarding experience in Parliament; over the coming months I will also be looking at how we can widen access to this valuable opportunity.” 

Continue reading ‘Phil Willis MP on Interns’

Daily Mail/Sun: Labour MP claims a tuck shop full of goodies on her expenses… and blames her interns

MPs interns have often been on the frontline in the expenses scandal. It is they who pick up the phone when the Telegraph call or are left to draft replies to angry constituents. The Daily Mail is reporting a new twist in this story: ‘the intern excuse’.

rosie_cooper_snacks

“Labour MP Rosie Cooper is the latest culprit of ridiculous expenses claims after she charged taxpayers for an array of sweets, crisps, cakes, ice creams and doughnuts.

But Ms Cooper insisted last night that the junk food purchases were made for an unpaid Westminster intern…

Continue reading ‘Daily Mail/Sun: Labour MP claims a tuck shop full of goodies on her expenses… and blames her interns’

An International Element: from Brussels, with love

In parallel with the ever-expanding internship business in London, the ‘stage’ and ‘stagiaires’ have become an institutional phenomenon in Brussels. The Commission takes on some 600 each semester, the Parliament several hundred more, and the countless lobbyist and consultative companies in the European capital live and breathe the intermittency of rolling internships. I am currently in my second.

Continue reading ‘An International Element: from Brussels, with love’

Why am I here?

It is hard to know how to distinguish between pre-existing existential dilemmas and those induced by doing an internship. Almost everyday of my fairly useful and fair internship I would question WHY AM I HERE? WHAT AM I DOING? And possibly when will I earn some goddam money? 

Continue reading ‘Why am I here?’

Another 23 names

Another 23 names on the early day motion list. Anyone with a keen eye for backbenchers fancy going through the full-list and finding out how many Labour, Conservative and Lib-dem MPs have signed up per party?

Continue reading ‘Another 23 names’

The Intern Contract

Finally we have a copy of Unite’s Intern Contract to stick up on the website. Print it off, have a read and forward it to your MP. 

AGREEMENT BETWEEN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND INTERN


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