13th November 2009, 10:21 AM
I think that directors and managers of commercial field units - RO's or otherwise can always be trusted to do what is best for the commercial prosperity of the individual units concerned. That's their primary concern! However, whether or not those commercial concerns are in accordance with what is best for the staff and archaeological practice in the Uk in general is a rather mute point. At present the profession is largely fragmented by the overriding commercial concerns of Units, with basically large numbers of field staff feeling disenfranchised. I believe there are certain parallels between British archaeology and the decline in the ship building industry in the Uk. We have a situation where there is no incentive to work hard or do the job to a high standard, because as soon as the job is finished staff are told to go away (either to sign on or if you're silly live off your savings). This coupled with the pretty poultry wages (considering many of us have a degree and in some a cases a masters) does not lend itself to doing a good standard of work. Equally the fact that most staff positions are so transitory and that there is no formal structure to career development or training in place due to this means you have jobs being carried out by people not qualified, experience or competent to do so. Often people are appointed to the position of site supervisor because they simply have a driving licence and are willing to do whatever they are told to do by management regardless of whether that constitutes good archaeological practice.
The directors and management have been cutting one anothers throats commercially for years in order to win tenders, with the net result that wages have not significantly improved for over a decade and are now in real terms being cut due to the freeze on any further wages increase over the next few years. As I have also noted elsewhere, there is a growing trend to no longer provide accommodation which also limits which jobs many staff can work on.
I think basically this clearly answers the question of whether or not directors and management can be trusted to do what is in the best interests of staff and th profession in general.
The directors and management have been cutting one anothers throats commercially for years in order to win tenders, with the net result that wages have not significantly improved for over a decade and are now in real terms being cut due to the freeze on any further wages increase over the next few years. As I have also noted elsewhere, there is a growing trend to no longer provide accommodation which also limits which jobs many staff can work on.
I think basically this clearly answers the question of whether or not directors and management can be trusted to do what is in the best interests of staff and th profession in general.