I'm afraid that I don't see how backdating will work, it doesn't work at the moment with pay rises at a lot of units, and will just make things more complicated and annoy everyone. How can a unit take people on if they don't know what they will have to (back)pay them????
The issue of inflation is that unfortunately the spike in inflation didn't happen at the time pay rates were being addressed. So although bills went up about 5%, by the time it comes to wages, inflation drops down to 1% or so....so we again end up getting real term pay cuts year on year.
Bajr rates technically are only for new posts advertised on this website, although over the last few years became effectively the industry minima. Given the present difficulties, and the fact that few adverts are likely to be placed as units can easily fill vacancies by word of mouth, the effectiveness of BAJR in working towards a decent wage will be reduced. But lets not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Why is an increase in line with inflation (such that it is) not on, that's effectively what the IFA are saying? plus 13% over inflation over the next 5 years once things are sorted:
ifa news page 18th December
http://www.archaeologists.net/modules/ne...toryid=346
'In this context, while Council is still committed to a target increase in IfA minimum salaries of 13% above inflation over the next five years as is clearly demanded by the salary benchmarking project, it has decided that above-inflation increases cannot be introduced in 2009. However, the link with the local government pay settlement (which has determined the increase in IfA minimum salaries since their inception in 1996) will be broken from April 2009 and
the minimum salary rates will increase in line with inflation (taken from the Consumer Price Index on 1 April 2009) next year1.
IfA recognises that employers and members are facing extraordinarily difficult circumstances this year. Most ROs and many IfA members who employ archaeologists already exceed IfA minimum salary rates by at least 1% and have for years set a good example to the rest of the sector. Council hopes that others will follow this example in 2009 and will consider whether they can aim to exceed the minimum rates by 1% in support of IfAâs aspiration for remuneration which better reflects the qualifications and skills of its members. The impact of the recession will be closely monitored and,
if economic conditions allow, above inflation increases to the minimum salaries will be implemented in 2010 and beyond towards the target 13% increase by 2013.'
Oddly on the latest recession news update (15 Jan) :
http://www.archaeologists.net/modules/news/
this doesn't get a mention
If the IFA are going to put rates up by inflation from April, why can't BAJR do the same from that date, and then revise it in July?
