10th April 2010, 07:40 AM
This is the thing... some companies are not advetising, as they re just retaking the pople that worked before.
I know of several companies that never advertise, indeed three of them are personal friends... but just employ from people they know.
According to my straw poll of contractors, when I talk with them on the phone, they agree that archaeology is stable, if not getting back to normal.. however, we can't forget that the size of the workforce expanded from 1500 to 7000 (ish) and within that the fieldworkers expanded accordingly, into a non sustainable level of work. So I am sad but not surprised that the total number of digging jobs is now about the same as it was in April 2009 (again... I stress this is based on a guesstimate based on conversations with about 15 companies across the UK) some are expanding... and they are calling up the people that were laid off last year.
What we would like to see with Unionisation is a greater protection for fieldworkers. These are skilled staff, that once lost, don't often return. Indeed I recently described it like an abused spouse... asked back, with the promise they won't get hit this time... honest.. Ive changed.
So things may not be better, but they are not worse. What worries me is stagnation
ps.. I am an illustrator too
so watch out ! :face-kiss:
I know of several companies that never advertise, indeed three of them are personal friends... but just employ from people they know.
According to my straw poll of contractors, when I talk with them on the phone, they agree that archaeology is stable, if not getting back to normal.. however, we can't forget that the size of the workforce expanded from 1500 to 7000 (ish) and within that the fieldworkers expanded accordingly, into a non sustainable level of work. So I am sad but not surprised that the total number of digging jobs is now about the same as it was in April 2009 (again... I stress this is based on a guesstimate based on conversations with about 15 companies across the UK) some are expanding... and they are calling up the people that were laid off last year.
What we would like to see with Unionisation is a greater protection for fieldworkers. These are skilled staff, that once lost, don't often return. Indeed I recently described it like an abused spouse... asked back, with the promise they won't get hit this time... honest.. Ive changed.
So things may not be better, but they are not worse. What worries me is stagnation
ps.. I am an illustrator too
so watch out ! :face-kiss: