Jobs jobs jobs !!

[barkingdigger]

I guess the nearest equivalent in UK terms would be to effectively 'nationalise' archaeology.....once you accept that principle, managing archaeology becomes as simple as managing any other state owned asset, the NHS, the Royal Bank of Scotland for example.....

You were doing so well until this bit!

The sad truth is (as an old acquaintance used to say) that we are trying to earn a living doing what rich folk used to treat as a hobby. Indeed, heritage ought to be a national asset, and duly controlled, but that will probably cause ructions with the voting public - just look at the battering EH has taken because Jeremy Hunt (with a silent "C") sold off half the DCMS budget to curry favour with Cameron. If we run it as a free market, the customer (usually the developer) sets the value in terms of what he/she thinks it is worth compared to more "substantial" professions that build buildings, install plumbing, etc. In that scenario, we are only worth the least it will take to clear away a Planning Condition! Sure, a few canny folk are making a good living selling the labour of the rest, but that happens in all trades, and even the best-paid archaeological consultants can't touch the salaries of the big fish in construction.

I'd back the idea of a national archaeologists' strike for better pay, but it sounds scarily like a Douglas Adams sketch about a National Philosophers' Strike...

[Dinosaur]

I don't disagree. I know it could sound as if we are archaeological Malthusians, but limiting the sheer number of archaeologists or folk claiming a share of the archaeological loaf anyway, would improve rations all round.... Someone should write a dissertation on why archaeology and the archaeological profession is the perfect examplar for every form of economic theory or practice!!

Expect now a whole load of BAJRites to query why I might be wishing them out of work.....

You'd think the client would eventually notice they were paying for archaeological consultancies at both the top and bottom of the tree and maybe prune out the dead wood in between - could be why the British construction industry isn't very competitive?

[kevin wooldridge]

Barkingdigger wrote: You were doing so well until this bit!

Well I wan't speculating, just stating the situation as it is in Norway. I am not entirely sure as to the situation throughout the rest of Europe, but I don't think that Norway is unique in this.

Sure it may upset the voting public, but that doesn't necessarily make it wrong. According to many polls the voting public would have us out of the EU, hanging pedophiles from lamposts and sending people of colour back to whence their great-great grandparents were originally enslaved by the British Empire. The UK hasn't so far given in to the voting public over those issues so why not come into line with other countries regarding heritage. The Valetta agreement (to which the UK is a signatory) states that nations shall make provision for the legal protection of the archaeological heritage. What easier way than designation of the whole resource...

PS Personally not so enamoured of striking as a political weapon. Think there are far more subtle and effective ways of workers making their point.....

[barkingdigger]

Sorry Kevin, I wasn't seriously arguing against you there - just having fun with your choice of examples for state-run services! (The crumbling NHS, the failed bank bailed by the taxpayer...) Please tell me it'd be run much better than them!

However, I'm all for the idea of a properly run nationalised system - if it can be properly run with adequate funding and decent jobs for the workers. My point about the developer setting the value in the current free-market system was that we aren't seen as a "must-have" service that adds value to their plans (like builders, plumbers, etc), but rather a necessary nuisance that has to be grudgingly tolerated and if possible reduced to the least expenditure in order to maximise development profits. In that culture we're kidding ourselves that there is any capitalist gold at the end of the competitive rainbow for us, so as long as we sign up to this divided strategy we'll never get rich. (Heck, most in our profession will never even make the UK average wage...)

The problem remains, however, that in times of scarcity it is difficult for the Gov't to be seen putting even more money into a "luxury" like heritage. And I know all the "heritage tourism economy" arguments, and I even agree with them, but that doesn't mean they hold water in Whitehall when the Treasury says the budget needs to shed billions of public spending and we find ourselves faced up against the military or transport etc. If only I had a magic wand...

So how do we get our industry nationalised in the first place? I'm willing to lose billions of other folks' money and then take a golden parachute like old Fred the Shred, if it helps! }

[Carrickavoy]

Personally not so enamoured of striking as a political weapon. Think there are far more subtle and effective ways of workers making their point.....

Which are?? The recent success of the South African miners and the Chicago teachers would suggest striking can be a powerfully effective tool for the majority to wrestle power back from the minority.

Although Barkingdigger's observation of the Douglas Adam's sketch is probably more apt in regards to archaeology.

[kevin wooldridge]

Which are?? The recent success of the South African miners and the Chicago teachers would suggest striking can be a powerfully effective tool for the majority to wrestle power back from the minority..

And more power to them. I was the secretary of a large trade union branch for a number of years. One of the most important tools in our trade union 'arsenal' was the rule book (OK admittedly it was local government). Amazing sometimes how fast or how slow the wheels of progress can turn when everyone adheres to the rulebook......

[Carrickavoy]

Ahhh the good old work to rule. It really might be something useful for archaeologists to think about. How many of us go above and beyond the call of duty because 'we love what we do'? It would probably need a good healthy dollop of solidarity as well...

[Antipesto]

Which are?? The recent success of the South African miners ...

Cant say I'm overeager to get shot any time soon...... And I think its fair to say that we are most definately the minority.

[barkingdigger]

Well I'm up for an Archaeologists' strike - how many months will it take for the outside world to notice?...

[monty]

If the current shortage of fieldwork staff continues awhile....a strike w©ould be to our advantage..............