Commitments elsewhere last week meant that I failed to place on record a significant victory by the National Union of Journalists, but I'm pleased to do so now.
The union managed to secure back pay and holiday pay for former intern Keri Hudson from a website, MyVillage.com, owned by TPG Web Publishing.
She told an employment tribunal that during her weeks at the website last year she worked each day from 10am to 6pm, and her duties included running a team of writers, training staff and even hiring new interns.
The company told her she wasn't eligible for pay because they considered her an intern working for free.
The tribunal, in deciding that Hudson was a worker in law despite the lack of a written contract, was awarded a total of £1,024.98 – £913.22 in national minimum wage back pay and £111.76 in holiday pay.
NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear said: "Today's judgment sends a clear warning to all employers to pay their interns, abide by the law or face the consequences."
And the union's legal officer, Roy Mincoff, said: "This sends a clear message to media companies... If in reality interns are workers, they are entitled to national minimum wage and holiday pay and NUJ will fight for these rights to be enforced."
According to today's Press Gazette story, TPG Web Publishing had not been informed of the court date and was therefore unable to defend itself. It denies many of the claims made against it. There may be an appeal.
Sources: NUJ/Press Gazette
