17th March 2009, 12:08 PM
I can also see both sides of the situation here...
However, in response to Bob
Yes, I think that there are changes to accepted T&C. Perhaps a year ago these jobs would have been run as away jobs, that is, away from the main base of these companies. There would probably have been a mixture of home based staff and away based staff, who would all have got subs and accommodation and been living away from home on either a 5 night or 7 night basis.
These jobs can only really be set up in this way because the companies concerned know that there are large numbers of archaeologists based locally. You couldn't do this in north Cumbria or Cornwall, you just wouldn't get staff.
However, this is a recession, and terms and conditions are being cut elsewhere, others have pointed out that this is standards for other construction subcontractors, though they are generally paid substantially more than excavators.
This is great for locally based staff three months (ish) work, there's also the chance of overtime. The only people I feel sorry for are those who were sufficiently committed to move to the home bases of these companies (overpriced towns with crap transport links), were laid off and now have to move to another region to work for the company. that's just the way the cookie crumbles, i suppose...
However, in response to Bob
Quote:quote:I was concerned that there MAY have been a change to the accepted T&C of similar jobs offered by these units in similar situations, and that IF that were the case then those changes (ie not offering subs or accommodation where they would have been offered 6 months ago) would be a serious impact on 'real' income.
Yes, I think that there are changes to accepted T&C. Perhaps a year ago these jobs would have been run as away jobs, that is, away from the main base of these companies. There would probably have been a mixture of home based staff and away based staff, who would all have got subs and accommodation and been living away from home on either a 5 night or 7 night basis.
These jobs can only really be set up in this way because the companies concerned know that there are large numbers of archaeologists based locally. You couldn't do this in north Cumbria or Cornwall, you just wouldn't get staff.
However, this is a recession, and terms and conditions are being cut elsewhere, others have pointed out that this is standards for other construction subcontractors, though they are generally paid substantially more than excavators.
This is great for locally based staff three months (ish) work, there's also the chance of overtime. The only people I feel sorry for are those who were sufficiently committed to move to the home bases of these companies (overpriced towns with crap transport links), were laid off and now have to move to another region to work for the company. that's just the way the cookie crumbles, i suppose...