THE CHIEF executive of Worcester Warriors has rubbished a councillor’s claim the club were guilty of ‘poverty pay’.
Sixways bosses led by Jim O’Toole have come under fire from city and county councillor Richard Udall after they advertised four internship positions which each offered successful applicants just £2.66 an hour.
The posts were six months long and would require the successful applicants to work 37.5 hours for a paltry £100 a week.
And Coun Richard Udall, who is a season ticket holder at Warriors, said it was a ‘disgrace’ to not give people at least the national minimum wage and called on the club to change the four job adverts.
“Internships are supposed to give work experience for young people or graduates, but this is just going too far,” he said.
“Working six months for £100 a week is more than wrong.
“If you’re from a low-income background you just can’t afford to do that, the result is that the jobs are getting taken up by those with the richest parents. It isn’t fair and it needs to change.
“I am a big Warriors fan, I hold a season ticket and attend all home games, but when they do something like this I have to speak out. It is simply wrong to pay poverty pay for such work.
“Warriors need to stop paying low pay for internships and to start employing people with real jobs on a proper wage.”
However, Mr O’Toole, who left his role as commercial director at London Irish to become Warriors’ new chief executive last month, described Coun Udall’s calls as ‘absolute nonsense’.
“It’s personal initiative and I will defend it to the hilt,” he said.
“What these intern programmes do is give people the chance to gain invaluable real life experience working within our community rugby programme, our marketing department or our media department.
“If you were a guy coming out of the University of Worcester with a degree in sports marketing and you don’t have a job, what would you rather do?
“Get job seekers allowance and work in a pub at night time or work in top class sports environment, have a contribution to your costs and gain invaluable experience?”
O’Toole said he offered similar internship opportunities when he was at London Irish and said it was a big success as they pay expenses and provide free lunches.
“We had up to 20 qualified people competing for each place,” he added.
“This is the modern world and it is a very competitive environment that these guys are trying to get in to, so I think this is invaluable experience.”
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