Making changes

[chiz]

yeah, lets have a 'three whinges and you're out' policy. If you moan about what's wrong with archaeology three times without doing anything positive to help those trying to make a difference, then you get barred from working in commercial archaeology. A win-win situation I believe.

[monty]

There is one obvious course of action open to each and every individual... stop applying for and taking archaeological jobs with godawful wages and conditions. And if you're dozy enough to take the job and find that you don't like godawful wages and conditions then get up off your backside and walk out of the site hut.[/QUOTE]
Lots of people do not have a choice and cannot simply walk out !!!!

[Monkey]

I think the obvious course of action is pressure on FAME the Unions and the Diggers Forum to talk to each other. Then a resolution at the IfA AGM for new minima in pay and welfare standards, with the timetable for change attached.

[BAJR Host]

That is good... but of course why pressure FAME as if they are the enemy? Knowing what it is like from a managerial post (of yes I was once one of them!) the balancing of the books and the creation of the work (winning the contracts) is stressful beyond belief.. I would enter ino dialouge with FAME and the UNions to ensure a forward motion in pay and conditions... the IfA can help... but remember... they are not a union or an employers organisation and would better keep focussed on standards and professionalism rather than get too heavily involved in something they should leave to the employers and employees

Yes they can help... just as BAJR has... but at the end of the day it is the employers and employees that need to talk.

The Diggers Forum will be coming to the Union meeting organised by BAJR and Unite and this is good... I had hoped for PROSPECT to be able to turn up, but the person who could have is unable and the main PROSPECT archaeology person has yet to reply.

[oldgirl]

That is good... but of course why pressure FAME as if they are the enemy?.

I agree with this. I've done both too - which I believe I've mentioned before. There are pressures associated with running organisations which are often missed. Not being able to walk out and go to another job when things go wrong is one of them. Having to put up whatever you own as collateral to ensure you have the cashflow to pay people for the months before your invoice gets paid is another (and yes, that happens even if you run a limited company - if the company doesn't have it, the directors have to provide it). There are many more.

Sounds like it will be an interesting meeting you're arranging Mr Host, good luck. Personally, I'll be running around the country in my temporary job, getting paid pretty much the same as I have been for the last 10 years. I'm not sure how I'd fit into any union negotiaition......

[BAJR]

You would have been welcome... as I hope this will be an enabling of communication... something which kind of happens.. but needs a wee push perhaps