'ZERO TOLERANCE' FOR EMPLOYERS ABUSING INTERN SCHEME

29 Jun 2011

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions said there should be "zero tolerance" for employers who abuse the new internship scheme and exploit participants.

Welcoming the JobBridge Internship initiative, Congress Legal Affairs Officer Esther Lynch said both Government and employer groups had "a responsibility to ensure that people taking up the scheme were not used as a form of cheap labour or to displace existing jobs."

She revealed that Congress will operate a helpline for interns that need information on their rights. It will be available from Friday July 1 at www.ictu.ie/internrights.

"Properly implemented this scheme can secure a better deal for young and other unemployed people that need quality work experience. It can help people augment or upgrade their skills and work experience and can really work to their advantage - but it must be properly monitored and controlled to avoid abuse," Ms Lunch said.

"The number and range of work experience and intern programmes has increased considerably in recent years and, sadly, some employers have sought to take advantage of peoples' desperation to find work. There must be zero tolerance for this sort of behaviour.

"The internship scheme announced by Government is welcome - but the only long term solution to the crisis lies in job creation," Ms Lynch said.