to think my boss is an absolute cow

[poikea]

Have namechanged as I need anonymity

Where I work we have just taken on 6 interns to help give them some work experience (I'm also quite new), however in the three weeks since they were set on my boss has fired 3 of them publically because failure is not tolerated at our company.
The treatment of the remaining has been hideous, one of them in a meeting tried to suggest an amendment to one of her ideas and she shouted at him telling him to know he's fucking place and that interns should only speak when spoken to. Also another occaision one of the interns made her coffee and she shouted her saying it was the worst coffee she'd ever had and she couldn't believe how thick she was. Also the tasks they have been given to do are also ridiculous, for example this afternoon I walked into the office to see one of them he was polishing her shoes and when I went back to my desk I could see the two remaining girls washing her car in the car park.
Others in the office seem to find it hilarious and say that "life's hard at the bottom of the foodchain" but I feel dreadfully sorry for them as another phrase she uses is remember who's writing your reference. AIBU to think this is bullying and hideous behaviour.

Hmm. Interns, unpaid, first job after uni. Sorry but I think if the interns had any oomph they would have said "no, I'm not cleanng shoes and cars or being spoken to like that"

Not quite the same but when I was a junior at a Big 6 accounting firm, I was once tasked with getting the train to heathrow, picking up one of the partner's cars from the long stay CP, and driving it back into central London for him. I made my flatmate come with me (on his day off) to navigate as I was so scared i'd just get lost or crash the car

YANBU. I've been an intern. It is hell. They will probably be putting up with it as they have been promised a good reference and networking opportunities. Contact Intern Aware if you want to feel like you are doing something? As MPs have their own unpaid interns it's doubtful that the current system will change.

Awful behaviour. Bullying and nasty, not to mention exploitative. Polishing her shoes? Dear God...

She sounds ghastly. And what on earth are they actually learning if they're spending their days polishing her shoes and cleaning her car?

Warn the careers or pastoral department of the local university, so others can be discouraged if this happens again. If you know any final-year undergrads there, tell them and let them spread it among themselves.

This kind of shite behaviour with no checks on it is why I will never, ever work again for a family firm, or a department run by a couple. If I can help it.