IFA Minimum Salaries: a consultation

[Steven]

quote:Originally posted by BAJR Host

Bitter, No. Just deeply unconvinced of the viability of any way of upping pay and conditions until we start to act like professionals; some of us do, just not enough. Curators, start setting planning conditions that represent an effective response; Consultants, stop arguing down costs at every stage; Contractors, stop undercutting each other and stop exploiting people who are so desperate to be archaeologists that they'll go to work without insurance or a living wage.

Hi Chaps
I agree we all need to make an effort to ensure we all get a fair deal. To this end can I just add one more little thing to your lists of Do's:

On-Site archaeologists, Don't write slogans like "sh*t", or "[developers name] are w*nk*rs" on features in evaluation trenches and try responding with professional aplomb when asked by visitors (such as the monitor and client etc) to explain features instead of adopting a sneering attitude and mumbling incoherently whilst dressed like a caricature of Che Guevara! If you can't describe/interpret the feature your digging, get out and find a job you are actually interested in rather than giving the whole unit (and profession) a bad rep! :face-confused:

Steven

[RedEarth]

quote:
Hi Chaps
I agree we all need to make an effort to ensure we all get a fair deal. To this end can I just add one more little thing to your lists of Do's:

On-Site archaeologists, Don't write slogans like "sh*t", or "[developers name] are w*nk*rs" on features in evaluation trenches and try responding with professional aplomb when asked by visitors (such as the monitor and client etc) to explain features instead of adopting a sneering attitude and mumbling incoherently whilst dressed like a caricature of Che Guevara! If you can't describe/interpret the feature your digging, get out and find a job you are actually interested in rather than giving the whole unit (and profession) a bad rep! :face-confused:

Steven

Agreed, such behaviour is pretty counterproductive when complaining about wages, conditions, lack of professionalism etc. However, years of being treated unprofessionally by organisations that should know better might well be partially explicable for breeding the degree of contempt for the whole system displayed by some people. It's effectively circular - you treat people badly they act badly, like beaten dogs or bullied children. Doesn't excuse it but it might explain some of it in some cases. The profession needs a root and branch investigation to remove the problem - God, I can't believe I wrote that sentance, I'm so sorry!

[oldgirl]

Quote from Redearth

It's effectively circular - you treat people badly they act badly, like beaten dogs or bullied children. Doesn't excuse it but it might explain some of it in some cases.

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Or people act badly and don't therefore get the respect they seem to think is a right not something that's earned. As you said, circular.

I have to admit that I don't really worry about how people are dressed on site, or how many piercings etc they have, but I do mind if they don't appear to understand the archaeology. After all, we are supposed to be archaeologists!

[monty]

Absolutely !! if these folk are not interested in what they are digging they should make way for less experienced people who are. It seems the sneering/graffiti types (we've all come across them ) forget that the client is actually paying their wages !!

[oldgirl]

quote:Originally posted by monty

Absolutely !! if these folk are not interested in what they are digging they should make way for less experienced people who are. It seems the sneering/graffiti types (we've all come across them ) forget that the client is actually paying their wages !!

Or possibly why they're there in the first place. We could all get paid more (and probably be more appreciated) elsewhere.

I had a long think a while back about not staying in archaeology. I stayed because it was something I enjoyed (I like working out which feature cuts which and how it developed) and also because being an archaeologist was an important part of how I perceived myself.

I try to work on the 'do as you would be done by' principle. If I'm met by disinterest and agression I try not to reflect that back, but it can be very hard!

[Steven]

quote:Originally posted by oldgirl
[
I had a long think a while back about not staying in archaeology. I stayed because it was something I enjoyed (I like working out which feature cuts which and how it developed) and also because being an archaeologist was an important part of how I perceived myself.

Hi Chaps
Its exactly people like you we NEED to stay in archaeology!

While we're on this subject, I also can't handle seeing people sat down legs outstretched in front of them troweling (or pawing) ineffectually at a "feature" at their side, normally next to somebody else doing exactly the same with two or three tiny broken pieces of pot/bone in their finds tray! What are they doing? It certainly ain't archaeology!

Steven

[oldgirl]

They've probably been told not to hit it with a mattock in front of the curator/consultant.....

The number of times I want to say 'just give me the mattock.....'

The tool needs to be appropriate to the job!!!

[Steven]

quote:Originally posted by oldgirl

They've probably been told not to hit it with a mattock in front of the curator/consultant.....

The number of times I want to say 'just give me the mattock.....'

The tool needs to be appropriate to the job!!!

Hi
On a serious note its always a sign of a unit employing inexperienced (and definitely not dedicated) staff just to bolster numbers.

Steven

[trowelfodder]

:face-topic:

[BAJR Host]

Keep it real... however... this is an interesting thing to debate... perhaps a new topic?? What makes us professional... what do we need to be?:face-thinks:

"I don't have an archaeological imagination.."
Borekickers