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Journalist intern wins right to be paid

Journalist Keri Hudson has successfully sued TPG Web Publishing Ltd over an unpaid internship. Her union the National Union of Journalists warned media employers to pay interns or face the consequences.

Hudson, 21, was successful at a Central London employment tribunal on May 12, 2011 in proving she had a right to be paid for work carried out over several weeks at the My Village website in late 2010.

The tribunal heard that while she worked each day from 10am to 6pm and had been personally responsible for and in charge of a team of writers, for training and delegating tasks, collecting briefs, scheduling articles and even for hiring new interns, the company had told her she was not eligible for any pay because they considered her an intern.

Hudson testified that when the site was taken over by TPG Web Publishing Ltd she had been asked if she would stay on and work for the new company. She was assured her pay would be fixed. After five more weeks she was informed she would not now be receiving a payment for the work she carried out.

She resigned. With the support of the NUJ and Thompsons lawyer Richard Williams, she took proceedings.

The tribunal found she was a worker in law even though she didn't have a written contract and was therefore entitled to be paid at least the national minimum wage and holiday pay.

NUJ legal officer Roy Mincoff said: " 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".

The union has appealed to other interns who believe they should have been paid to contact the union by email

For detail, see the website

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