Bar to self-employment.

[RedEarth]

Well, it was only a suggestion, although Dino has pretty much identified the problem - the lack of incentive to join either the RAO scheme or the IfA. It's a bit chicken and egg, there's no incentive to join so no one does, so it can't be representative enough to have any real affect. A bit like unions! Why don't archaeologists have the basic sense to understand this? How do other professions manage to change things in their favour, by working together perhaps?

"frankly everyone's got better things to do with their time (like maybe some archaeology?)"

- that seems like a rather bizarre and contradictory thing to say.

Oh, and in what way is the IfA not neutral and how would removing some of the more dubious contractors be selfish? Looking at the bigger picture it would be a very good thing, but clearly everyone's got better things to do than worry about that.

[GnomeKing]

"The company I work for would have absolutely no probs passing the membership criteria but has just frankly never seen the point"

- the point is clearly to create a list of consistently 'verified' companies - accreditation will always cause some degree of "agro" - it is not a question of Incentive, but a Choice as to whether to support schemes that try to strengthen and progress the profession...or not.

[Dinosaur]

Redearth - have you seen what's involved in becoming an AIFA/MIFA?

[RedEarth]

Redearth - have you seen what's involved in becoming an AIFA/MIFA?

I have, and it actually seems a bit easier than it was a few years ago. That's not to say it isn't a pain in the arse, but perhaps if it was felt to be worth it people wouldn't mind the arse pain...

[Dinosaur]

Try producing verification etc etc for every job after you've done a few hundred projects for several dozen employers - it ain't gonna happen! - can't even remember what some of the sites were called, plus half the companies I've worked for no longer exist (not my fault, honest...), and a lot of the directors etc. have died or got the h*** out of archaeology (also not my fault....mostly....)

Know lots of people who thought it was a good idea, got all the forms, spent an hour or so looking at them, swore a lot and filed them in the bin. Keep a set on the shelf behind my desk these days to save them the bother }

[BAJR]

Was a few hours of my time when I became a MIfA ... and of course there is the yearly subs (based on income) but if people really want to change things... then they do it... they don't talk about what it would be like to do it... and what colour pen they should use to fill out the form if they decide to!

The Unionsiation as well... should have a draft out next week... and it is again up to people to JOIN... not talk about joining, not deciding they will join once it is all going fine... or if it gets bad... it means that you join and be part of the solution.

(of course it is personal choice... however it should be one made now and not in 2020)

[Dinosaur]

Have just been talking to a guy who's an IFA member who only joined cos he was after an EH job and thought it was going to help (it didn't) - he's just found out what his new membership fee's gonna be now he's actiually got a decent job and has decided to bin the membership (he can't see what, if anything, useful they're doing for him), so clearly even some IFA members have pretty fragile loyalty to it

ps before any accusations, I have absolutely nothing to do with the poll that's just appeared - might exercise my democratic right though..... }

[Jack]

yeah, that was me............obviously.

Also....and I have no idea of the answer only being in IFA for a few months at the start of my career to get the JIS - which was an expensive waste of paper.......can anyone really change things that the IFA does by being a member....ref to the poll

[Gilraen]

Most of the curators I have been involved in provide lists to developers or their agents with regard to who is available to undertake the work that they have asked for. Sometimes this is mistakenly passed on to the tenderer through a series of forwarded e-mails. Companies have had to jump through more than a few hoops for some curators just to get anywhere near the lists, and one county even does not allow or accept any work from anyone not on their 'list'. Illegal or not, that is what is done.

[Gilraen]

Mercenery - can't you just forward some reports that you did in the region from where you worked previously in the region? As long as they have your name on it, surely this must be enough?