Adopted in principle by NEC on October 6, 1997
Debated and approved by NEC on January 18, 1998

Introduction

The Guild welcomes the opportunity to work with the employer to introduce and develop interns who are about to start their careers or individuals who are sponsored by an outside organization (Native Affairs, Workers Compensation, Employment Equity, etc.). At the same time, the interns must be used in such a way as to respect our collective agreements, to protect the rights of existing employees and to enhance the training opportunities given to members of the bargaining unit.

As a basic principle, all interns must be supernumerary to existing staff. In other words, they are distinct from any form of relief, short-term regular or freelance employment.

Training

The employer’s first obligation is to train staff. Therefore, the Guild’s first goal is to ensure that resources designated for our members are not being used to train outside individuals. When an employer proposes bringing in an intern, we must be satisfied that employees are given a chance to enhance their own skills.

Paid and Unpaid Interns:

1) An intern who performs work covered under the jurisdiction of a Guild collective agreement shall be paid in accordance with the terms of that agreement.

2) An individual is sent to the workplace to “shadow” an existing employee or employees. Such shadowing usually lasts from one day to several days. This intern is not sent on assignment alone and will not produce work for broadcast or publication. In this case, no wage is necessary.

Conditions

Before the Guild grants approval to bring in an intern, the employer must submit a written description of all details concerning the internship. This would include names, duration of the internship, wages, a description of the type of project, who from the bargaining unit will be involved, etc.

All Guild members who will be involved in an internship will be notified when agreement has been given for an internship, and to the terms under which the individuals will function in the workplace

The collective agreement must be followed in all cases.

Interns must be introduced to the workplace in a way that is not unduly disruptive to employees or the workplace itself. For example, designating a workstation and determining the time of day for specific tasks will ensure a smooth entry for the intern and take pressure off employees at the busiest times of the day.