Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: Possible sale of Lincoln artifacts gets national attention
Next Post: Rauner calls on White House to end child separations at U.S. Southern border
Posted in:
Posted by Barton Lorimor
* An online petition from the Campaign Workers Guild claims Pritzker campaign interns are unpaid despite the candidate’s massive wealth. From the petition itself…
We demand that J.B. Pritzker, the Democratic candidate for governor of Illinois, pay his organizing fellows. Organizing fellows are student workers who spend at least 15 hours a week doing critical organizing work, from recruiting volunteers, to hosting organizing meetings, to knocking on doors. But despite their critical work, J.B. pays them nothing.
J.B. would have no difficulty paying his fellows. He’s now donated over $100,000,000 to his campaign. His net worth, according to Forbes, is $3.5 billion. The race is predicted to be the most expensive governor’s race in history. Top members of management are feeling it: as of March 30th, his campaign manager alone had earned over $207,000 according to campaign disclosures. But the college students who work for J.B.’s campaign as fellows for at least 15 hours a week, who balance performing essential campaign functions with class work and enormous amounts of student debt, make nothing.
“The Pritzker campaign compensates both our interns and fellows, and they are also provided travel compensation and the opportunity for school credit,” Pritzker campaign communications director Galia Slayen said in response.
Emma LaBounty, a member of CWG’s executive council, cited a print screen of https://go.jbpritzker.com/page/s/internship and a cached Google web search as support for the group’s claim the positions are unpaid. The Pritzker campaign says the referenced print screens are from an outdated part of the website.
When I accessed the “Internships” link (https://www.jbpritzker.com/internships/) in the footer of the Pritzker website at around 3 p.m., the text said the positions are paid and that applicants could “receive school credit depending on degree requirements.”
From LaBounty in an email…
1. The campaign’s fellowship posting, as of yesterday, still listed the fellowship as an “unpaid fellowship opportunity.” Screenshot of that attached. The campaign has clearly changed its line here. Today, they’re saying it’s paid; yesterday, they (through their website) said it’s unpaid.
2. Campaigns will sometimes try to make it possible for more students to work as interns or fellows by offering transportation and meals, either on a weekly, monthly, or per diem basis. Even when this is provided as a stipend, it’s not compensation for hours worked: it is material support to allow the fellow or intern to avoid incurring costs while fulfilling the demands of the position. While not having to pay to work is a step in the right direction, it’s simply not being paid to work. Fair compensation would be $15/hour.
My understanding is that, to the extent to the Pritzker campaign has given such material support, it’s been structured as a stipend for transportation and/or mean;s, not as payment for hours worked. I’ve also heard that it is only being made available to a subset of fellows.
LaBounty said the CWG did not attempt to contact the Pritzker campaign directly before posting its petition. The Pritzker campaign has not spoken directly with CWG since the petition was posted.
Perhaps the two sides should, I don’t know, talk to one another before this escalates any further.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 4:07 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Possible sale of Lincoln artifacts gets national attention
Next Post: Rauner calls on White House to end child separations at U.S. Southern border
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
Umm intern is a volunteer position that people apply to knowingly that it is unpaid. The workers value the experience and value to there resume over the pay.
Comment by Real Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 4:19 pm
**Umm intern is a volunteer position that people apply to knowingly that it is unpaid.**
Umm… not really. And it is arguably illegal to no pay an intern if they’re doing real work and not just “learning.”
An article from a few years back:
https://www.propublica.org/article/when-interns-should-be-paid-explained
According to the Department of Labor, an unpaid internship must meet all these criteria:
- The internship is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment
- It’s for the benefit of the intern
- The intern doesn’t displace paid employees
- The employer doesn’t benefit from work the intern is doing, “and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded.”
- The intern isn’t promised a job at the end (unpaid “tryouts” aren’t allowed)
- Both the intern and their boss understand its an unpaid position
Comment by SaulGoodman Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 4:22 pm
Change them from interns to volunteers
Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 4:28 pm
I was always taught in civilized society people made requests and terrorists made demands. Perhaps this would be a good time to check our rhetoric.
Comment by Cable Line Beer Gardener Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 4:39 pm
It seems like the Pritzker campaign deliberately complicated the issue after it came under scrutiny without actually fixing the problem. It’s not as though he doesn’t have the money to legitimately do right by his people.
Comment by 3StateSolutionFanAccount Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 4:43 pm
Well well well here’s an idea why don’t Democrats keep chewing each other up? It worked really well in the Hillary campaign, worked extremely well in 2014 where 40% of Union households went for Rauner over Quinn.
For being so smart Democrats do some really dumb things.
Comment by Frank talks Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 4:45 pm
It’s laughable the Dems went lockstep for this guy who cheats Cook County taxpayers with his toilet scam and notwithstanding giving his campaign more then 100 million he Chintz’ his campaign workers - where is the SEIU outrage. All the Dems wZnt is a guy who would fund their campaigns and sign off on the Union raises Rauner refuses to accept. And we wonder why folks are fleeing the State
Comment by Sue Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 4:47 pm
This is totally ridiculous. I support unions, but I do reserve the right to disagree with them. Interns know what they’re getting into. I’ve done nonpaid and paid internships. Both server the purpose of enhancing my career. Does this group think the labor movement will be better off with another 4 years of Rauner?
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 5:03 pm
The way to find out is to go the SBOE website and see if any salaries are being paid to these interns.
Why do I get the impression from the Pritzker response that he is offended certain interns want more gruel?
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 5:11 pm
===I was always taught in civilzed society people made requests and terrorists made demands.==
ter·ror·ist
ˈterərəst
noun
1.
a person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.
“four commercial aircraft were hijacked by terrorists”
synonyms:extremist, fanatic
A person with a weapon saying they will use it or a bomb attached to themselves while making a request is still being a terrorist. An intern making a demand can do what? Quit?
Perhaps this would be a good time to check our hyperbole.
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 5:39 pm
I volunteered for several campigns in my life. In one, I was a member of the inner circle. I was never paid or thought of being paid. The fancy title “intern” was never used, however. I was considered volunteer work, usually consuming my whole free time. Never thought of being paid. Never considered that other non-professionals were being paid. In the Congressional campaign the consultant was a paid professional. Everyone else was a volunteer. Are these students professionals regularly engaged in the practice of political campaigns? Are they in it for the money or to get the candidate elected? I’ve thought of volunteering for the Pritzker campaign, but I don’t want to be the only volunteer if everyone else is being paid.
Comment by Streamwood Retiree Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 5:40 pm
Paid political interns? Man, these kids need to get a grip - you know how many campaigns I volunteered more than 15 hours a week for in my day? Never expected to get paid.
Comment by Chucky Jay Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 5:59 pm
Totally unprovoked attack from a supposed “ally”. Based upon my experience, the guild should be writing the checks.
Comment by McLincoln Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 6:03 pm
The Guild should be paying them.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 6:05 pm
For those remembering the good ole days you forget that the Obama DOL rewrote the requirements for paid internships during the financial crisis when many employers were taking advantage of college students by not paying them for summer employment. The rules on when interns need to be paid are very clear and implemented by President Obama’s DOL. Pritzker seems to be in violation of these requirements
Comment by Sue Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 6:22 pm
If Democrats want a skilled campaign workforce of people from diverse backgrounds, they must pay their interns. Democrats should want to enable people, including those who can’t afford the costs of an unpaid internship, to become trained professionals who will continue to use those skills to win campaigns into the future. It’s an investment and it’s the right thing to do.
Comment by 3StateSolutionFanAccount Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 7:07 pm
Progressive creds, JB hardly knew ye.
Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 7:08 pm
==his campaign manager alone had earned over $207,000 according to campaign disclosures.==
That’s net, not gross. Caprara is paid $7,800 bi-monthly, so you might be looking at $275,000 salary. There’s at least a dozen JB employees making well into the 6-figures. The money’s there to pay interns. Does JB offer a 401(k) match?
Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 7:29 pm
=Frank talks @ 4:45 =
Nailed it. Though you forgot to cite the #MeToo movement in IL as well.
Comment by plainfield liberal Tuesday, Jun 19, 18 @ 10:11 pm
This is gonna cost JB the election
/s
Comment by FDB Wednesday, Jun 20, 18 @ 7:38 am
Heard JB has offered all interns free used toilets as compensation.
Comment by Soapbox Derby Wednesday, Jun 20, 18 @ 8:22 am
I am as pro-union as one can be. The fact that the CWG publicized this without seeking resolution with the campaign first, tells me this is more politics than advocacy.
Comment by PDJT Wednesday, Jun 20, 18 @ 8:26 am
Absolutely ridiculous, CWG. Seriously? I guess Im getting old. Back in the day i was just happy to get the experience.
So, keep helping Rauner under whom many of your interns had state grants and college loans suspended and were forced to suspend their educations. Yikes.
Comment by low level Wednesday, Jun 20, 18 @ 9:27 am
I’m gonna need some folks in this thread to stop commenting like it’s still 1995. No, an unpaid internship doesn’t cut it anymore in this cutthroat economy, and the “experience” trope doesn’t fly anymore. You’re gaslighting yourself if you disagree. Pay. Your. Interns.
Comment by Stark Wednesday, Jun 20, 18 @ 9:35 am
Does this honestly surprise anyone?
This is the candidate who labor chose to get in bed with.
Comment by A State Employee Guy Wednesday, Jun 20, 18 @ 12:41 pm
“I’m as pro-union as one can be.”
Weird way of showing it with the rest of your comment.
Comment by A State Employee Guy Wednesday, Jun 20, 18 @ 12:42 pm