French Models Form Union to Improve Working Conditions

French fashion models, despite their image of wealth and glamour, Thursday launched a trade union to fight what they describe as exploitative working conditions.

Servane Cherouat, founding president of the union, told a news conference that while top models could command fees of $3,500 a day or more, plus generous expenses, others had insecure contracts and little legal protection against unscrupulous agencies.

Many of the estimated 3,000 models in France work long hours with little or no overtime pay, vacation allowances or expenses for meals and traveling, she said.

She also criticized modeling agencies, which French law regards as employing the models even though their clients generally determine their working conditions, for taking too large a slice of the modeling fee.