Pay and Conditions

[Unitof1]

Could try price fixing

Under PPG 16 English Heritage advise10 that:

• The proportion of planning applications that currently require desk-based
archaeological assessment = 3% (c18,000 p.a.)
Average cost per desk-based archaeological assessment = ?750
The estimated costs to developers relating to desk-based archaeological
assessments = 18,000 * 750 = c?13.5m p.a.
• The proportion of these planning applications that currently go on to require
further field evaluation = 25% (c4,300 p.a.)
Average cost per archaeological field evaluation = ?7,500
The estimated costs to developers relating to archaeological field evaluations =
4,300 * 7,500 = c?32.3m p.a.
• The proportion of these planning applications that currently go on to require full
excavation = 25% (c1,000 p.a.)
Average cost per excavation = ?25,000
The estimated costs to developers relating to excavations = 1,000 * 25,000 =
c?25m p.a.


10 On the basis of recent surveys of archaeology-related planning casework undertaken by the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers (www.algao.org.uk/Publications/Docs/SurveySummary.pdf)

how does ALGAO set the prices?

[Dirty Boy]

In my (admittedly limited) experience of budgeting and tendering while I was working in a comercial unit the fieldwork phase of the project was the money maker and had to cover the costs of staffing for post-excavation analysis and report production.

Same as my tendering experience - field staff are the only ones with 100% chargeable time to the client, which needs to support non-chargeable work such as the office manager, general management, etc, let alone the overheads on rent and so on. I think the most (pure) profit I ever saw made on an eval was a couple of hundred quid. The most money tends to come on day-rate watching briefs.

The fix? Difficult with the free commercial market in archaeology. Don't personally believe in unions, as I feel my contract with my boss is a personal affair, and that if he could raise the wages, he would. If he did, he'd simply be undercut and I'd be out of a job. Some form of minimum wage for archaeologists, through being chartered like accountants, etc. (Although this was the subject of a long thread a few years ago I believe)

[ecmgardner]

I seem to remember more than one thread along the chartered lines I had difficulty on some of those threads understanding why making RAOs compulsory for work was a problem as there'll still be competition but a set standard and minima not just for pay and conditions but the quality of work undertaken. Plus the organisational structure is there using EH and IfA...

Me memory's not what it was, but I thought price fixing was one of the arguments making it illegal / not practical.

If I'm being dim please, please explain why :p (and am I veering off topic??)

[BAJR]

as I feel my contract with my boss is a personal affair,

It may be if you are self employed.. as a document you have both agreed to.

Unionisation... allows the workforce to collectively talk to teh employers collectively

Chartered... highly unlikely...

Minimum wages for Archaeologists... ( both the IfA and BAJR have these in place already)

[Dirty Boy]

Even if I'm employed, surely my contract is a document agreed to by myself and my employer, otherwise i wouldn't have the job?

I'm fine with unions pushing for things in a contract that aren't being provided, dangerous practices, lack of welfare, etc. I can also see the benefits of collective bargaining.
For me, I think in terms of pay that when I've started a job, thats the price, as an adult "of sound mind and body" that I've agreed to work for. I don't believe that I should be able to walk out of a job until I get a higher wage, and hold a private company to ransom. If I want more cash, I am freely available to leave and seek work elsewhere. Maybe its got a lot to do with the fact that I work for a great unit at the moment who have given me a lot of opportunity, and that I feel demanding more cash would be ungrateful, or maybe its just a part of my upbringing.

In terms of the industry as a whole, I can see benefits. If others want to go ahead and use a union, thats fine. Its a purely personal decision for me.

Chartered - I didn't think so either. I remember most of the arguments from last time. Minimum pay by BAJR and the IfA is a good thing, but then neither have the "official" capacity to enforce such pay scales which is needed really in a free, commercial market.
(Again, probably the subject of an old thread)

[BAJR]

If I want more cash, I am freely available to leave and seek work elsewhere. Maybe its got a lot to do with the fact that I work for a great unit at the moment who have given me a lot of opportunity, and that I feel demanding more cash would be ungrateful, or maybe its just a part of my upbringing.

Or are you? Where you go? Maybe you are with a great Unit... good for you... be happy you would feel ungrateful.... don't forget to doff yer cap as well...

God bless you sir... I am happy to work ... I should perhaps pay for the privilage... sorry to be a bother etc......

How fabulously Edwardian

Tell you what. I would have a look at what Unions do... :face-approve:

[Kajemby]

I think it's great dirty boy works in an environment where he feels he doesn't need a union. Surely that's what we should be striving for? She on mr administrator for taking the pee.... Wish we could all live where we don't need to have unions in order to get a better deal. Maybe dirty boy has already got there ahead of the rest of us!!!:face-approve:

[aton]

It is already low so I think it wouldn?t be a solution. How could that help to assistants?!?

Still, if there is no job now there wouldn?t be with lower payment.

[Dirty Boy]

I think it's great dirty boy works in an environment where he feels he doesn't need a union. Surely that's what we should be striving for? She on mr administrator for taking the pee.... Wish we could all live where we don't need to have unions in order to get a better deal. Maybe dirty boy has already got there ahead of the rest of us!!!:face-approve:

Thanks very much! You know what the worst thing is? I've just been given a good payrise without asking, and am being paid to go on a course to help me improve at my job. Again, without asking.

Maybe the hat doffing works

[Misty]

I started as a hat doffer. Got nowhere. Joined a union. Started to ask for training. Started to ask questions. I thought I was doing the right thing. Then I got made redundant. I got no help from that union and they didn't seem to do much for that unit. Now working (outside archaeology) in a heavily unionised place and I get everything - generous pay scales and masses of training. I guess the early stages of unionisation are very painful but once it's up and working it's a very good thing.