10th May 2010, 02:03 PM
Ken Denham Wrote:......... the majority of the people we'll be trying to convince are from a post Thatcherite genereation who have no concept of what benefits and protection union membership gives the individual.
Yep, that describes me. Never been in a union. Never seen a union do anything positive except disrupt services, threaten contracts through industrial action, cause incitement to riot. (being devils advocate }
)I'm aware of the theory....
'listen to our fair demands and negotiate better pay/conditions etc. or we walk out...'
However, I'm not sure how this will work in archaeology.
For example, what about self-employed staff working on a pipeline who are members of a larger Union. That union goes out on strike over an issue in another industry. Doe sthe archaeologist then have to go out on strike? Wont they be breaking the conditions of their contract for services (or is it of services?!?)
Also how could archaeologists, temporary, permenant, self- or employed effect the competertive tendering process, as its the client, not the archaeological employer that decides acceptable costs, and hence the possible range of wages.
I'm guessing I'm naiive about unions.....someone enlighten me please