14th March 2009, 07:59 PM
Thanks for the edit Austin, my gruntle had been dissed and my dudgeon was up, clean forgot the no-names thing. Sorry.
I think the reason why I'm so cross about this one is that for years I've been the voice of reason on the side of units with (relatively) low pay, arguing that they attempt to compensate where possible with perqs, that archaeology is a vocation... all the usual stuff. I havn't ever gone on about the fact that I'm 30 with no savings, pension or house of my own, in fact I've told several people who complain about it to shut up or leave the profession. It seemed like a reasonable price to pay for a job that I truly loved. I've taken jobs on the opposite side of the country to my friends/family/partner, I've put up with sharing hotel rooms with complete strangers, I've been broke and injured. I've served my dues, uncomplaining, and I've loved my job.
But this (to me anyway) is beyond justification. It is a cynical attempt to bend normal conventions of what is 'away' work ie commutable from the main office of the employer. I defy anyone to regularly commute from the offices of mysterious company X (see- i'm improving!) to nottingham. Not possible. So what it actually constitutes is a circumvention of perqs with no rise in wages to compensate. It is a drop in pay, plain and simple. just one that gets around the BAJR ad rules and IFA limits. I doubt very much that there are enough local archaeologists to take this job and suspect that away workers will end up renting in 2 places at once just to get away from the dole queue. The companies in question are exploiting the current economic climate to cynical and twisted ends.
I must post on this forum about twice a year. I'm not a habitual spleen-venter, I just looked for a job this morning and after what I read I realised that I was ashamed to work in a profession like this. Its the first time I've ever felt like that and it shakes me to the core. If anyone from the 2 companies involved reads this I hope that they are ashamed to work there too and that they make representation to their management to stop this policy. I really feel that it is morally wrong.
My apologies for a very long post. And good luck to everyone seeking work because you're really going to need it if this catches on.
one girl went to dig, went to dig a meadow...
I think the reason why I'm so cross about this one is that for years I've been the voice of reason on the side of units with (relatively) low pay, arguing that they attempt to compensate where possible with perqs, that archaeology is a vocation... all the usual stuff. I havn't ever gone on about the fact that I'm 30 with no savings, pension or house of my own, in fact I've told several people who complain about it to shut up or leave the profession. It seemed like a reasonable price to pay for a job that I truly loved. I've taken jobs on the opposite side of the country to my friends/family/partner, I've put up with sharing hotel rooms with complete strangers, I've been broke and injured. I've served my dues, uncomplaining, and I've loved my job.
But this (to me anyway) is beyond justification. It is a cynical attempt to bend normal conventions of what is 'away' work ie commutable from the main office of the employer. I defy anyone to regularly commute from the offices of mysterious company X (see- i'm improving!) to nottingham. Not possible. So what it actually constitutes is a circumvention of perqs with no rise in wages to compensate. It is a drop in pay, plain and simple. just one that gets around the BAJR ad rules and IFA limits. I doubt very much that there are enough local archaeologists to take this job and suspect that away workers will end up renting in 2 places at once just to get away from the dole queue. The companies in question are exploiting the current economic climate to cynical and twisted ends.
I must post on this forum about twice a year. I'm not a habitual spleen-venter, I just looked for a job this morning and after what I read I realised that I was ashamed to work in a profession like this. Its the first time I've ever felt like that and it shakes me to the core. If anyone from the 2 companies involved reads this I hope that they are ashamed to work there too and that they make representation to their management to stop this policy. I really feel that it is morally wrong.
My apologies for a very long post. And good luck to everyone seeking work because you're really going to need it if this catches on.
one girl went to dig, went to dig a meadow...