Tens of thousands of students in the province of Quebec have marched this week to protest the requirement that they intern for a brief period without pay as part of their school program. The unpaid internships are designed to give them field experience and help them make connections that can help them get jobs after they graduate.
But the students oppose the fact that they are not paid and that they are not protected by provincial law on labour standards governing such things as pay, harassment or hours of work.
Male-dominated fields more likely to pay
In some fields such as engineering and computer sciences, interns are often paid, but in others like education and social services most are not. Female students make up more of the latter and so feel they are suffering discrimination.
Women feel they are more likely to not be paid for internships and their sign reads ‘we are not invisible: onward women’. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)
General strike threatened
The students would like the provincial government of Quebec to pay them all for internships and they threaten to call a general strike January if there is no progress on the issue.
Each province and territory in Canada is responsible for its own labour laws so rules vary widely. In some jurisdictions, there has been controversy about about unpaid internships for students but also for those who have already graduated. Labour unions argue unpaid work is illegal in Canada.
Federal promise does not cover students
At the federal level, the government promised in its 2017 budget to eliminate unpaid internships in federally-regulated jobs. It would make an exception for students who are required to do internships for their courses. In any event, the government will not followed through on its promise until it passes the necessary regulations in 2019.
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