replacing employees with interns

[dogfooddi]

coming from a not entirely hypothetical situation, someone i know is working as an intern for an ironworkers/welding shop. apparently a bunch of people have been laid off from this place and he works as an intern for about 45-50 hours a week getting paid for 20 hours worth of work. not only is the poor guy the equivalent of a scab but they don't even tell him to wear long sleeves while welding and he got UV radiation burns all up his arms.
internships are obviously important if you are trying to learn a trade but how does one reconcile this business fuckery with the fact that you got to get your practice done somehow?

[OneNamedNameLess]

coming from a not entirely hypothetical situation, someone i know is working as an intern for an ironworkers/welding shop. apparently a bunch of people have been laid off from this place and he works as an intern for about 45-50 hours a week getting paid for 20 hours worth of work. not only is the poor guy the equivalent of a scab but they don't even tell him to wear long sleeves while welding and he got UV radiation burns all up his arms.
internships are obviously important if you are trying to learn a trade but how does one reconcile this business fuckery with the fact that you got to get your practice done somehow?

Ffs that's awful. In response to your question I don't buy that. For me it's simply another justified means of exploitation. Many trainee hairdressers are treated in the same way especially from the big salons. They are offered the best training but are paid buttons for doing long hours six days a week. Is that not the equivalent of cheap labour?

Business fuckery indeed but things do not have to be that way. One solution :)

[Lynx]

Internships are generally not the same as apprenticeships. The abuse you described should be reported.

[dogfooddi]

that's right, he's got an apprenticeship. all the metal workers/artists from the other local shop are pretty appalled by it.

[Hoggy_RS]

There is talk in Ireland, of replacing alot of the electricians with general operatives(labourers basically) to do most of the lifting and horsing shit about. They would then need less electricians for doing the actual skilled electrical stuff.