Striking nude models in Rome

Richard Owen and Ben Hoyle report in the Times that the nude models are striking for better pay and improved working conditions. “Doing nothing for a living is not as easy as it looks. That was the militant message from Italy yesterday where artists� nude models climbed back into their clothes and went on strike for better pay and conditions. The protesters � male and female � said that they wanted ‘professional recognition’ and full-time contracts. Only 50 of about 300 models at Italian art schools are on fixed annual contracts, with the rest hired by the hour. Antonella Migliorini, 42, said that it was ‘a tough, cold job’ posing in the nude, often for eight hours a day. ‘We are not porn stars,’ she said. ‘If you�re lucky enough to have a full-time job you might make �25 an hour.'” Read more.