I find it very frustrating that this is still an issue. If someone is working, they should be getting paid. Why then do many companies not pay their interns? I am writing for this blog because I am one of these unpaid interns so that I can at least get school credit for my work. I am still in school, living in Philadelphia and being funded by my parents while I am interning so it has not created too many obstacles. There are so many people, however, that are not fortunate enough to be able to survive with out an income. How are these kids supposed to rise up through the industry if they can not succumb to free labor?
Unpaid internships just encourage the classism that is found all through out the fashion industry. Most interns these days are doing equivalent work to those paid employees, they are not just fetching coffee and making copies, so why must they be treated differently? Living in cities, especially New York (where most of these unpaid internships reside) is very expensive, so having an income is very necessary. This is when many people get a second, paying job, maybe in retail, that will somewhat cover rent and food and give them even more sleepless nights.
This issue is being discussed a lot right now due to a few legal issues throughout the industry, which is good. This has resulted in the ending of Conde Nast internships which have been the most coveted. So what will we loose and/or gain with the ending of unpaid internships?
I completely agree with you, companies should pay their workers regardless if they're interns or not. One of the major reasons I chose my coop was because it is paid and I felt as though I would be treated as more of an equal part of the company because they were investing in me. It was also important to me that I was paid because my parents are spending so much money sending me to Drexel, now I am able to help with some of the little things such as my rent. I think most companies feel that building a resume and a solid six months of learning makes up for the lack of pay.
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