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21st March 2010, 05:44 PM
the joining of unions is the nessescary First Step, but is not sufficent in itself...active participation is required...workers groups/action groups/concern groups need to crystalize and lobby for change...within a union superstructure, we can build ourselves a better and more satisfactory workplace...
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21st March 2010, 06:40 PM
GnomeKing Wrote:the joining of unions is the nessescary First Step, but is not sufficent in itself...active participation is required...workers groups/action groups/concern groups need to crystalize and lobby for change...within a union superstructure, we can build ourselves a better and more satisfactory workplace...
I strongly concur.
NEVER expect competence.
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21st March 2010, 07:37 PM
Letters are near ready to be sent... once these are sent and recieved, I can then put up Nottingham Report and mp3 ..... Then you will see the other elements to discuss... WE want to ensure this is collaborative and not imposed.
So should be Thursday or Friday next week.
Got to keep the momentum going... AND need active participation, :face-approve:
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22nd March 2010, 08:39 PM
Just a thought / query. Have the IFA any policy, opinion etc on Union representation of the profession?
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22nd March 2010, 08:47 PM
Just a thought - is it a good idea to have a poll regarding whch union people are in (and why if it is possible to achieve that in the confines of a poll)? It will of course only show the views of those who bother to vote, but it could give a broad idea of at least all those who use this forum. There would be people with a bit more knowledge on the subject than me who could do the poll....
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23rd March 2010, 11:22 PM
The IFA Code of conduct: 5.7 A member shall have due regard to the rights of individuals who wish to join or belong to a trade union, professional or trade association.
With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all passion spent...
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28th March 2010, 11:36 AM
Thanks for the info Kevin.
So in principal the IFA support union membership within archaeology. How helpful would the IFA be in promoting the idea of joining a union, given that one of the aims of unionisation as I understand it would be to create better career structure via differing pay bands based on field experience?
Having noted a few common concerns amongst participants on the forum. Pay and conditions, career structure and professionalism I am moved to suggest these concerns are intrinsically linked to one another and could be addressed via unionisation and that this is something which the IFA should have equal interest in?
As stated above the introduction of pay bands expressing experience would presumably encourage firms to employ people in areas of responsibility i.e. supervision of sites etc who have the experience and skill necessary to do so. It would seem to make more viable financial sense in this instance to promote an experienced excavator to a supervisory role with a small hike in wages rather than give the role to someone with less experience and presumably at a greater increase of pay from a lower rate less experienced field staff would start on, while still having the experienced members of staff on higher rates of pay? If the facilitation of banded pay based on experience did indeed provoke such change then the up shot of this would seem to be an increase of professionalism within archaeology? As such changes along these lines would appear to be in accordance with the aims of the IFA?
Unionisation = better pay and conditions + career structure = Increased professionalism!
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28th March 2010, 12:17 PM
Indeed they are, and I know they work closely with PROSPECT. This may aid the process and unite the 4 unions under a TUC brokered banner to represent all heritage workers... thus providing a cross industry platform that can be dealt with as an entity, instead of piecemeal.
I am sure the IfA will back any initiative that aids professionalism, which will be as you rightly say an end result too unionisation. Skills, training, pay, conditions etc... all to play for!
The Meeting notes will be published on here and Facebook on Monday - and I hope people will print out and pass round the site hut and email them on to others to pass about. This relies heavily on dissemination. and talking about it. :face-approve:
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29th March 2010, 10:25 PM
Too right, Mr BAJR - spread the word.
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30th March 2010, 11:27 AM
See the thread on the Nottingham meeting... download the notes.. and talk to people...
Nice one Gilrean!
