MARTHA THOMASES: Are Interns Slaves?
In Great Britain, they’re trying to change the law to prevent businesses from exploiting students by way of unpaid internships. This is not just good news for a democratic society, but for comics fans as well.
How is it good for society? Unpaid internships are a scam, a way for businesses to get free labor while giving affluent students an unfair advantage over other students. The students with the best connections get the best gigs, and they’re the only ones who can get the subsidy from Mom and Dad so they can afford to work for free. After graduation, it’s the well-connected kids who have better resumes. It’s another example of affirmative action for the rich.
Unpaid internships also rob the community of taxable income. The kids working for free, even those with trust funds, are most likely not paying taxes on those unpaid salaries. They accrue the benefits of being part of our workforce without contributing their fair share. The corporations are certainly not paying taxes on the profits they make from the kids’ work.
How is it good for comics? I just spent a pleasant few days at New York Comic-Con. The show is run by Reed Pop!, and they do a decent job. However (and this is a big “However”), I am always surprised to see people working at the show as volunteers. Reed is a for-profit company. Why do they need volunteers?
I don’t mean to malign the people doing these jobs. Far from it. The deal, as I understand it, allows them to get into the show for free in exchange for doing a few hours work.
This might be a lovely way to run a local show, something put together by fans for fans. It’s no way to run a major exhibition in a major city. It’s scabbing. It’s exploitive. It’s an insult to every person who struggles to make a living in entertainment, marketing and hospitality.
It’s also a liability nightmare. If a volunteer has an accident, or somehow harms a guest, who is responsible? Again, it’s one thing if it happens in somebody’s garage, and quite another when it happens at the Javits Center.
I understand that this is a tradition of fans pitching in to help at shows. I love volunteers, and I welcome all efforts that get us more involved with our various and respective communities. However, I don’t understand why we’re volunteering to make money for corporations, instead of for more worthy causes.
Unlike the New York show, the San Diego Comic-Con is a not-for-profit corporation, a 501(c)(3). They are dedicated to promoting an appreciation of comics. Fae Desmond and David Glanzer are among my favorite people. However, it is my opinion that the show has been completely co-opted by other industries – specifically movies, television, and gaming – and to volunteer for that show is to make a non-cash donation to the likes of Disney, Fox, Warner Bros. and Universal.
Maybe, as comics fans, we hate ourselves so much that we feel we need to pay major corporations for the privilege of their attention.
Let’s make them pay us instead. We can use the money for therapy.
SATURDAY: Marc Alan Fishman
I don't disagree with any of the comments above, but whoever wrote the headline: Slaves? Really? I mean, the obvious answer to that question is "No." Something along the line of "Are Interns Being Taken Advantage of?" seems more in order.
Also, it's worth noting that this is nothing new and hardly restricted to the world of comics. Back when I was first graduating college and intending to pursue a journalism career, columnist Jack Anderson had an internship program. Unpaid. I couldn't afford it since I'd have no way of surviving in Washington with no income, but there were something like 500 applicants for every opening.
I've had a mentor program most of my adult life. Jack Anderson is a perfect example of what I think is right about unpaid interns although I'd call them apprentices. A mentor teaches his or her young charge and gives them invaluable access to their infrastructure.
If the professional is really 'mentoring' that is something which I'm all for. Pros who get young students to work for free simply to have them pick up their laundry and offer nothing except the chance to be in the pro's presence are leeches.
Not my headline. And the beginning of my piece notes that exploiting free labor is not at all limited to the world of comics.
So we agree.
Martha,
I'd most likely agree with you even if I didn't.
;-)
Marth, I'm sorry you feel the show has been co opted. The truth is it has always been about comics and popular art. From the beginning when Shel had an appreciation for film along with comics. As I've said before, the show is certainly different today than it was 10 years ago and was different 10 year before that. And certainly different when I started volunteering in 1984 from the show in 1970._ _You know I love you too but couldn't disagree with you more. Comic-Con is grateful that we have over 3,500 volunteers who give of their time and talents to make sure we have the type of show we do. We have a guest list of comics professionals that rival any in the United States or the world I would argue. To say they are basically giving a non cash donation to the likes of the studios is to ignore the hundreds of hours of comics programming and guests that few other conventions invite._ _I am proud of the show and doubly proud of each and every individual who give of their time to make it the best show of its kind. From the volunteers who monitor lines, to the professionals who give of their time for the various panels, and workshops that take place over the course of the four days._ _Dave Glanzer
I didn't mean to imply that SDCC has no value for comics fans, and if it sounded like that's what I was saying, then I expressed myself poorly. However, as someone who has gone to the show for most of the last 20-odd years (and they are odd, aren't they?), I've seen a huge change in the way the show is used by the outside world. When you and I got up to be at the show at 6AM for the TV crews to cover Superman, they were covering Superman. Now they're covering movie stars.
Well yes, this is true. But without getting too much inside baseball here, I miss the days of ringing you to schedule our morning hits because i knew your answer was always yes. :)