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+--- Thread: Rumour Has It. (/showthread.php?tid=2232)
Rumour Has It. - drpeterwardle - 26th May 2006
Rumour has it there is currently a labour shortage for skilled site workers which is having the effect of increasing wages. Watch those BAJR ads carefully!
Peter Wardle
Rumour Has It. - mercenary - 26th May 2006
There is, and has been for some time. But look at this gem of a quote from a newspaper article about a certain pipeline job that has very much been a popular topic on BAJR.
Quote:quote:He said: "There are around 50 archaeologists working now â they have bought them in from all over Europe.
"We have got Polish site supervisors, Irish excavators â you name it. They have been bringing them in from wherever because they are that desperate for people.
"There's a national shortage of trained diggers. Most of the contractors are struggling to find enough diggers â they are working 69-hour weeks to try and keep up with pipeline construction," he added.
My feeling is that wages won't go up much until the supply of archs from other countries exhausted (a group which I am a part of and would never have a problem with), but more importantly when archs realize that overtime is not an adequate substitute for a living wage. I know people on this job that wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole if not for the overtime.
IMO,the fact that they are desperate for people anyway is because they don't pay enough and possibly that their rep is not that great.
Rumour Has It. - Sparky - 26th May 2006
LMAO!!!!
What paper was this from? Perhaps there's a shortage of planning the jobs in the first place rather than hoping no one would notice.
Rumour Has It. - Paul Barford - 26th May 2006
Quote:quote:He said: "[...] they have bought them in from all over Europe.And this is a problem that is going to rise while Polish archaeologists get paid crappier wages than you lot - even though their living expenses (mortgages, food, clothes, petrol etc) are about the same as in the UK (petrol still a little cheaper I think). Obviously some of them have realised that they will not be out of pocket by coming to the UK and may well be earning considerably more than if they stay at home.
We have got Polish site supervisors
Mind you, the ones coming to the West will be those that are not in the awful Polish "motorway archaeology clique" which has developed which has gathered a sizable band of ruffians, pirates and cowboys. The guys you see are either too good or too bad to work for them.
Paul Barford
Rumour Has It. - Galarch - 26th May 2006
There certainly seem to be a lot of pipeline projects on this year after a period of relative quiet. It is worth remembering that there are several established companies who provide archaeological services on these projects - as far as I am aware the need for staff is universal and will continue for some time.
There is certainly room for improvement in pipelines but in their defence I would say that when you are carrying out a watching brief over tens of kilometres it does not matter how much work you do up front you are still going to get some nasty surprises. When this happens you potentially need to find a large workforce for a small period and this is not easy - there just aren't dozens of qualified and experienced diggers out there who are a)unemployed or b)interested in relocating at the drop of a hat for what could be no more than a couple of weeks employment, probably 4-8 if they're lucky.
Putting aside the rights or wrongs of diggers wage levels - in my 'youth' (when I could work 12 hr days/6 day weeks without keeling over)I found the overtime a much needed boost to my non-existant diggers bank balance.
Rumour Has It. - BAJR Host - 26th May 2006
I would also say that all the reports I have about Polish archaeologists is of high skilled, hard working etc... and wages are still above the minimum (well at least on the BAJR) a new advert from PCA is 350 +50 quid a week accom allowance...diggers... so wages are not bad...
or are there people not advertising... but getting staff that I don't know about??
Another day another WSI?
Rumour Has It. - Orkynowot - 27th May 2006
Thats what I like about rumours, they are always wrong.
May god go with you in all the dark places you must walk.
Rumour Has It. - Sparky - 27th May 2006
Galarch, I agree entirely with what you say about watching briefs though there is something about this example thats doesn't quite match up. Nuff said.
Orky, As this thread has developed, which rumour are you referring to?
Thanks.
Rumour Has It. - Orkynowot - 27th May 2006
Was responding to the post by Mercenary, it sounds like a job I just left, but with the information wrong in some places, but in other places I agree with the qoute.
May god go with you in all the dark places you must walk.
Rumour Has It. - the invisible man - 28th May 2006
Re. the advert described by Hosty - the snag is you seem to be expected to work at faster than light speed. Work starts on site on 19 June but applications aren't required until 7 July!
We owe the dead nothing but the truth.