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• Unite's reaction to Tory proposals to cut 25 per cent off the MoD's budget
• ‘Unfair’ working conditions of parliamentary interns to be discussed at speaker’s summit
• Unite begins industrial action ballot over jobs, pay and pensions at Fujitsu
• Unite urges BA to step back from the brink
• Unite calls on MSPs to put ‘people before profit’
• Unrest grows at First Group as bus workers' rejection of zero pay deal snowballs

‘Unfair’ working conditions of parliamentary interns to be discussed at speaker’s summit

7th October 2009

MPs, who enjoy some of the best employment conditions in the country, have tolerated a culture where some parliamentary interns suffer ‘unfair and illegal employment practices’.

Unite, the largest union in the country which represents over 400 staff of MPs including some of their 450 interns, calculates that interns carry out about 18,000 hours of unpaid work each week and that many do not receive travel and food expenses.

Now these employment issues are to be discussed at an interns summit, presided over by the speaker, John Bercow at Portcullis House, Westminster on Monday, 12 October.

Unite is seeking from the ‘summit’ a commitment from the speaker that options for a fair, funded and structured internship system be put before the next meeting of the House of Commons' commission, which takes place on 19 October.

Unite favours a system of pay and employment conditions similar to those enjoyed by stagiaires (interns working for European MEPs).

A recent Unite survey of interns in parliament revealed that:

• 44 per cent do not receive travel or food expenses
• 2.4 per cent of MPs staff say they have five or more interns working in their office
• 256 of MPs’ regular staff do not have contracts of employment and 59 are paid below agreed pay scales.

Rachael Maskell, Unite’s national officer, community and non profit sector, said: "We don’t want a situation where only interns with wealthy parents can afford to take these positions, as this discourages those from less privileged backgrounds, who may have a lot to offer, from seeking work experience on this first rung of parliamentary life. A fair system is long overdue."

Dan Whittle, chair of the parliamentary branch of Unite, said: "There are unfair and illegal employment practices in parliament of which the exploitation of interns is just one. As part of cleaning up parliament, the speaker and the leader of the house need to take this opportunity to show a good example to other employers.

"While many MPs are good employers, there are others that tolerate this culture of exploitation, which is ironic given MPs enjoy some of the best pay and conditions, as well as pensions, in the UK.

"The 'Interns Summit' is an excellent opportunity to create a cross-party dialogue to improve the working conditions of interns."

ENDS