(no subject)

[rhivolution]

Dear self,
This is a reminder not to feel disappointed in yourself for not applying for a long-term media intern/trainee gig that only goes for expenses of £100 a week, no matter how much possibility of getting full-time work there may be. Yes, even if you were rejected without interview for a paid internship earlier today.

First of all, in the UK, this is against the law outside of course-credit work, and it is classist, problematic, and something many media freelancers are trying to stop happening. Minimum wage is £5.93/hr and is that for a reason.

Secondly, you should not feel guilty for wanting to be paid properly. You're worth at least that much, even in media.

Thirdly, they're wrong for even doing such a thing and even more wrong for doing it through a recruiter who should know better. A company that doesn't abide by the rules of fair treatment for the low-ranking is probably one where you wouldn't want to work in the long run.

Love,
Rhi

Comments

[were_duck]

I would like to cosign this letter. What you say here is true.

[rhivolution]

What really gets me is that they're going through a recruiter, on a media workers ning community that's almost extensively company to person when there are job postings. Like they know it's wrong.

And frankly, the recruiter should know better. I'd like to give a piece of my mind, but I'm really not high enough ranked to do so.

[meloukhia]

Yes. Workplaces that devalue employees are not places you, or anyone, should have to work. Resisting exploitative internships is not just an act of self care, it is also an act of protest. This company is vile and should be ashamed of itself. It clearly knows it's doing something wrong, or it wouldn't be slinking around.

[rhivolution]

Indeed...it's just hard to remind myself of that when I'm applying for nearly everything. Thus the post, and possibly the source of my anger, really. Media here is working so hard to get rid of exploitation like this and I hadn't yet seen it go down in social media yet.

[azuire]

*nods vigorously*

Wonder if they have an anonymous complaint system type-thing?

[rhivolution]

I'll have to poke at the recruiters' website and the ning community to see. I don't even know what company it is, which is really pissing me off. I'd like to know who to avoid.

[azuire]

Well that's awfully convenient for Those People, isn't it? *grumble* Hope you have some feedback mechanism, honestly, how has nobody complained about this? It's a national pastime!

[littlebutfierce]

& what's even more depressing is that comparatively, £100/weekly for expenses is pretty good for a lot of internships! :/

[rhivolution]

I know, right?

[amadi]

If a company is willing to flout the wage laws, then you have to wonder what other laws (like workplace safety) they're happy to disregard, too.

[rhivolution]

Well, workplace safety is much more regulated than the enforcement of the minimum wage law for non-coursework internships, which is quite recent. Regardless, it establishes a climate that is Not Good for low-ranking people, and leads me to wonder just how well interns are treated overall.

And 'you'll likely be hired on soon' isn't good enough. If it was for the company where I did my coursework, immediately after, that's one thing, but dangling that over my head now is not on.

[brainwane]

BTW, Laptop Magazine is looking for reviewers -- KT Bradford just told me today. Would you be interested? You should talk to her.

[rhivolution]

Thanks! I'm not entirely sure if I'd be qualified as I'm not really published, but I'll drop her a line soon.

[brainwane]

I figure being able to write cogently is more important than whether you already have clippings.