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Approved Client List - My story - Pete M - 28th October 2005
We have talked alot about problems of and with contractors, employers and curators, but little about problems with clients. I guess employees don't get to hear much about that side of things.
We used to do alot of work for a certain National organisation, but last year decided that we would not work for them any more at any price.
One reason was the lateness of payments (up to 8 months) and the lack of interest in sorting it out.
Another was inadequate specifications with unpaid extras requested during works.
Another is the insidious 'I know we haven't asked/paid for you to do all this, but we do have another big project coming up next year' speech, stronly hinting that if you don't do this for us then we won't give you any more work.
The final straw was something else - credit theft. The 'client' started to make brief appearances on our surveys - usually meeting us there and helping to carry a tripod or something. Or he would simply arrive, say hello then leave. No more than 20 minutes at a time, and no more than once per survey. So we send in the surveys. The client then changes the details on the survey, and submits it internally with his name added, as 'assisted by XXX'. This national organisation then publishes it as a joint effort, and all his peers think he is a hard-working and diligent archaeologist. He only carried a tripod once, yet has reaped more kudos and credit than I could ever hope to. It's not I am credit-hungry - but why should someone else take it.
Then he dropped the 'assisted by', and started to claim 50% credit ie by ME and HIM, even if all he had done was to change the title page on the report. And there was very little I could do (it seems that embarressing a fairly senior archaeologist is worse than credit-theft). He told me about it in a very embarressed tone, but implied he had only done it once to beef up his annual work record. The bugger is MIFA as well.
So last year I decided to drop the clot and branch out (pride - get some now), and am now in year 2 of a 5 year plan to become a self-made millionaire in IT (I hope I haven't offended anyone by being a bread-head). I'm also writing an archaeology book, and planning future projects. My plan is to have an income of several hundred K for working 8 months/year, and if I am still interested in archaeology I will spend time undertaking some decent research projects.
Commercial, government, university and charity archaeology doesn't hold any interest for me, paid or unpaid.
Needless to say, my nemesis has tried to turn me into a non-person by labelling me 'awkward' (which I can be if provoked) - and will continue to put up a barrier as a way of protecting himself from his colleagues finding out what he has been up to.
SO that is my personal solution to the poor standards and pay that archaeology brings.
It would be interesting if all archaeology projects were setup and run by qualified self-made millionaires - so get working you lazy gits - real work like 12-20 hour days, 6/7 days a week for 2-3 years, and then see what you can do.
Approved Client List - My story - troll - 29th October 2005
Hmmmmm.My immediate response would be to take this individual behind the spoil heap (no analogy intended).My second move would be to make sure that all parties concerned received copies of my reports/paperwork before said muppet alters them in any way.Thirdly, write to the IFA-this is clearly one muppet they don`t need if they have any intentions of cleaning up their act in terms of validation.This individual is clearly suffering from the balloon syndrome-the more hot air he/she/it pumps into an obviously empty space-the bigger they get visually.As this syndrome is usually addictively hedonistic, he/she/it will keep filling said vaccuous space.The beauty is....the outer skin will explode eventually and the empty, useless interior will be open for all to see........feed said muppet some meaningless impossible blurb...watch them hand it in as their own work....Fwooooaaahahahaha!!!
Approved Client List - My story - Cautionary Tale - 31st October 2005
I agree this is rather depressing :face-confused:. It probably is a rather sad yet predictable abuse of an IFA rule which says that everybody involved in an archaeological project should get credit (ie a mention in the list of site workers, post ex staff, report writing), which is a good principle. Why somebody who is already an MIFA should want to artificially bump up their publication list in this way is beyond me - what use is an 'assisted by' credit at that stage. As an aside, insufficient financial resources (ie late payment) provided to an archaeological contractor can be used to delay the lifting of an archaeological condition in some circumstances. Doesn't sound like much of a threat, but a delayed report which leads to a few 20t machines and a workforce stood around doing nothing will cost money.
(I really have worked in the field)
Approved Client List - My story - BAJR Host - 31st October 2005
Here you are... the relevant paragraphs in the IFA Code of Conduct
http://www.archaeologists.net/modules/icontent/inPages/docs/codes/codeconduct.pdf
"Subscription to this Code of conduct for individuals engaged in
archaeology assumes acceptance of these responsibilities. Those
who subscribe to it and carry out its provisions will thereby be
identified as persons professing specific standards of competence,
responsibility and ethical behaviour in the pursuit of archaeological
work."
Para 1.5 An archaeologist shall give appropriate credit for work done
by others, and shall not commit plagiarism in oral or written
communication, and shall not enter into conduct that might
unjustifiably injure the reputation of another archaeologist.
Most of the following principle.
Principle 5
The archaeologist shall recognise the aspirations of employees,
colleagues and helpers with regard to all matters relating
employment, including career development, health and safety,
and conditions of employment and equality of opportunity.
You could of course contact me offline and discuss it..
info@bajr.org
Another day another WSI?