When do BAJR minimum pay rates get uprated?

Could people quickly pop over to Online Archaeology and answer a single question....

1. Do you think there is a need for an archaeological GIS society?

http://www.online-archaeology.co.uk/Default.aspx

only take a few seconds! plus have a look at some of the fun things that Steve is up to... (BAJR is working with Steve on Googlemapping (though he is the brains! - look at the Map pages!)

Another day another WSI?

In fairness to Natalie this all cropped up when I started a thread on casual work and temping and David invited her to join in the discussion.

It is clear to me that Natalie is at that stage of a business startup when she is not quite ready to go public with everything. Equally she is finsishing off an MA thesis and thus is busy in any event. I am not sure it would be right to expect her to tell us exactly what her business plan is. I am not sure it is neccessary to know all the detail of commercial archaeology but it will of course help. I think what we need to know in due course is:

As employers
1. When will she actually be trading.
2. What does it cost.
3. What is the service that is being offerred
4. What garantuees to we have
5. What are the terms of business.
6. Who she is.

For employees.
They will want to know:
1. Pay and conditions
2. Length of employment
3. Where they will be working
4. What the training will be

I have to say that when I set up in business the core of the business what not thought possible by the entire archaeological world and people were very paranoid about what I was doing.

If Natalie has the time I suggest that see prepares a set of FAQs which she can use on her website.

My original posting was about the ethics of "casual" labour as a means of employment and if we should accept the reality of employment in archaeology at present and if BAJR could improve the situation.

David responded thus:

"You will be glad to know that part of the big BAJR expansion (too many pies!!) my wife is taking on the Education (THERA section) and also the CVs online. With someone working on it permenantly it means that up to date will actually mean that! and knowing where people are, what they want to do.... what they can do and when they are available will be all part of the service... a service I hasten to add that will cost nought!! oh yes you heard it hear... for at least the first year of this (until we truely find out the workload) it will provide realtime info on who is available .... great minds think alike.!"

I actually see these as in some respects complementary things. Can we return to discussing the pro and cons of the principle of casual labour rather than getting bogged down in detail about Archpeople?

What would both employers and employees like CVs online to do?

Peter Wardle

IFA Workplace Learning Bursary for Archaeological Skills Development (Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund) -- Finds and Environmental

An eleven month training placement to learn the basic skills in Finds and Environmental work, from recovery on site, processing and identification, through to archive completion and assessment, producing short summary reports.

This position would be suitable for someone who is at the beginning of their archaeological career, either a new graduate or an archaeologist working in the commercial sector (from which secondments will be considered) or in a voluntary capacity, with an interest in finds and/or environmental work and who would like eventually to pursue a career in this field.

The placement will be based at English Heritage, Fort Cumberland, Portsmouth, working with the Artefact specialists, Conservation and Environmental Science Teams, and as part of the field team on excavations undertaken by Archaeology Projects.

For an application form, please send an A4 sized SAE (no stamp) to Meera Jain, Human Resources, National Monuments Record Centre, Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2GZ or telephone 01793 414423 quoting reference number J/015/06. Minicom, for TEXT PHONES only, 800 0150516

Close date: 18th April 2006 Interview: 27th April 2006 Start date Ideally early May 2006


Another day another WSI?

In the next few weeks, an archaeological recruitment agency is going to be launched.

Not only will it ensure work, but decent pay and employee awareness of legal rights.

Contact us on T: 01443 492 400 or email me natalie@archpeople.com if you have any comments about the recruitment agency and whether you believe that it might actually help the archaeological sector in the long term.

Natalie D Kershaw
Archpeople Recruitment
http://www.archpeople.com

forum

/form/

• noun (pl. forums) 1 a meeting or medium for an exchange of views. 2 chiefly N. Amer. a court or tribunal. 3 (pl. fora) (in ancient Roman cities) a public square or marketplace used for judicial and other business.

Is it just me or has the time finally arrived in this glorious profession of ours that there are more jobs than experienced diggers? Is it the diggers time at last?

OK, no doubt I have done something silly or not done something sensible, but the Digger doesn't work on my pc. Th etext and everything is very faint, barely readable, and nothing works - i can't get past the title page.

What have I done or not done?

We owe the dead nothing but the truth.

What on earth has occurred to troll?? After his numerous appearances on this site he has all but disappeared! Is it in someway connected to his appointment as a curator??

Can anyone claify the role of EH Inspector of Ancient Monuments?? I was under the impression that they monitored SAMS etc, preventing damage. Are they empowered to write specifications? Monitor archaeological works? Question conditions set by church archaeologists???

Perhaps I am just being naive [?] Would love an answer...