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+--- Thread: APPAG - 20th May Pay and conditions (/showthread.php?tid=923)
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APPAG - 20th May Pay and conditions - BAJR Host - 30th April 2008
Quote:quote:APPAG now wishes to have an opportunity to discuss these submissions and other relevant matters with various representatives of the archaeological sector on 20th May, prior to the drafting of a short
report making recommendations to improve the pay and conditions for
archaeologists working in the UK.
Sadly, although I was kindly invited to go and make a short submission as BAJR, I am booked up on 19th May and can't get to London by 10am on the 20th.... This is a blow to me... as its a chance to speak out.
Can we... as BAJRites.. put together a short statement to be read out there ....... this is very very important -- its a chance to speak out..
Its complex.. so can we put into a pithy statement our collective view? I know we all come from different backgrounds.. and this could be a strength.
To start off...
Council and Govt pay scales for archaeological and heritage officers have to be national... so an HER officer or Planning Arch is on the same grade in every county... Field staff working in these areas have to be regraded above the cleaning staff (no offence to cleaning staff) parity in this sector is key to parity in the commercial sector.
Formal, affordable external/free inhouse training as integral a stepped pay scale... the more skills you gain, the more you are 'worth' and this should be seen as investment in all our futures.. it does not matter that you tain someone and they leave to another company.. as you will replace them with someone trained at another company.
Perhaps even company performance bonus? (though this is outside the APPAG discussion)
Benefits to ensure field staff are not 'starting fresh' each contract.. which creates a cycle of poverty. (who was ever able to save on a digger wage... remember that to even make the minimum annual salary you have to work a whole year)
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu
APPAG - 20th May Pay and conditions - mercenary - 30th April 2008
How about a statement to the effect that pay and conditions can only be improved once the decline in resourcing for local authority archaeological advice is halted, and a common standard for archaeological work actually enforced across the UK.
APPAG - 20th May Pay and conditions - BAJR Host - 30th April 2008
Thats a decent enough statement that APPAG can grasp
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu
APPAG - 20th May Pay and conditions - Dirty Boy - 30th April 2008
In regards to training, that a minimum amount of training (within the resources) of the business to each individual is available and enforced.
I've been in units where the formal and informal training is tightly focused on one or two individuals and the rest of us are kept as a lower grade of supervisor / digger / PO. It can be down to something as simple as the Unit Director "doesn't like you"
I'd just be worried that if training is directly related to pay, only the minimal amount of staff would be trained to keep wages down and some people would end up as a second class and find it difficult to progress up the pay scale.
I just get tired of having appraisals and "of course we'll let you use a total station" and nothing happening. Could it be worked into the Investors In People framework perhaps?
Leading a crack team of archaeologists in the hunt for death or glory.
No-one's died yet and I think we lost the glory down the back of the sofa.....
APPAG - 20th May Pay and conditions - BAJR Host - 1st May 2008
Good point...
Have been thinking that sorting the 'main problem' is in reality context [3006] and to reach it, we have to act like archaeologists - start at the top and work down stratigraphically... til we get to the 3006 layer.. rather than jsut digging straight to it - if that makes sense... ??
So
1. Local Govt pay scales?
2. Legislation for archaeology>
3. Public involvement creating a sense of ownership and support? etc................
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu
APPAG - 20th May Pay and conditions - m300572 - 2nd May 2008
And entry at a level on LG pay scales that reflect educational level and training rather than diggers being on scale 1 (or whatever the bottom end of the scale is these days)
APPAG - 20th May Pay and conditions - BAJR Host - 3rd May 2008
More input from people please... and thanks for that one Peter
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu
APPAG - 20th May Pay and conditions - BAJR Host - 6th May 2008
BUMP
And looking also at the professional organisation thread...
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu
APPAG - 20th May Pay and conditions - teamonster - 8th May 2008
This might not be the most popular suggestion with some on the forum but I think all options should be considered, even if they are rejected/shelved.
By introducing a 'barrier to entry' you could raise pay and status of archaeologists - a lot of discussion about this at this at the IFA conference.
For example: all commercial projects must be overseen by suitably authorised person(consistent with Valletta) - this could be done as IFA membership, RAO status or another system - more people would take up membership to ensure they could project manage/direct sites (probably supported by companies wanting to win work) - membership comes with recommended pay bands which are higher than those currently suggested and consitent with similar job roles in other industry areas. It would not be a fully closed shop as you wouldn't have to have membership to work, just to run sites/projects.
It doesn't neccessarily help those just starting out but if movement happens in one area of the profession it might have a knock-on effect? It also has to be consistent across the country and enforced to actually work. Its not a short term solution as it would need a lot of work to bring it in. It also has the problem that the overseeing body might start having to move into the trade union area rather than professional organisation.
APPAG - 20th May Pay and conditions - BAJR Host - 14th May 2008
Last chance!
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu