Who do you want to work for?

[Beardstroker]

Norfolk Archaeological Unit- Good in the main, to work for with managers that behave like human beings and PO's and supervisors staff who were motivated and enthusiastic.

Suffolk County Council- only very limited exposure to them but again seem to be very good.

[drpeterwardle]

Suffolk are good of course see previous posts

Peter

[troll]

Does anyone else find it just a tad nauseating that in theory, we should`nt actually say anything negative about shi*e units and practises for fear of being sued? Smacks of what we laughingly describe as a "democratic" British government really. The entire country is run on lies, falsehoods and smokescreens. A Member of Parliament who was in the know relating to all details in the run-up to the illegal invasion of Iraq has been blocked by Bliar from publishing a book on the subject. This endemic and seemingly "English" practise of guarding fact at all costs because it is potentially damaging induces puke. If Mr Hosty feels that we have overstepped the mark here, then edit I duly shall however, on a personal note to those who feel I have wronged them, please, sue me-I`d love to release all details in a court of law attended by the media. Not remotely interested in complying with a "law" designed to protect the interests of filth who have clearly been misled to believe that they occupy a position that allows them to behave badly in the comfort of knowing that the facts will be smothered. Bollo*ks, frankly.Morning all.......as a caveat-I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY COMMENTS PERSONALLY-THEY HAVE NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH THE AIMS/OBJECTIVES OF BAJR.

[sniper]

think you should go and have a fag troll mate. I do agree, but I know people do worry about what gets out and who sees it. I've already been warned off on a couple of occasions by people I work with, and my real name isn't even in my profile. But hey, I'll add to the list:



Cotswold - from my experience, good.
ULAS (Leicester) - again, agree with Troll.
YAT - been there on and off for a couple of years, and no intention of going anywhere else at the moment

++ i spend my days rummaging around in dead people ++

[kevin wooldridge]

In the early 1990s James Drummond Murray and I produced a survey for the IFA called OutWage looking at archaeological salaries. I have been collating data for a 2005/06 update of that survey.
I realise that wages don't mean everything in archaeology, but folk might be interested in seeing how wages for the lowest grade archaeologist/technician posts compare. These figures are collated from BAJR ads in the last 7 months. Where annual salaries are stated in the ad I have divided by 365 and multiplied by 7 to get a 'weekly' wage. Absence of a unit from this list only means I have no up to date info for the last 7 months or they have not advertised for the grade. (or that I may have missed the ad). I am happy to accept any updates to the data, particularly regarding the 4 or 5 'big' units who are obviously missing at present. (kevinwool@yahoo.com)


1 Environment Agency 370pw
2 CGMS Consulting 345pw
3 English Heritage 314pw
4 Exeter 309pw
5 UCL Field Unit 308pw
6 Molas 298pw
7 AOC (London) 291pw
8 Surrey 289pw
9 Chester 288pw
10 ASAC Ltd 285pw

11 Network (Bucks) 280pw
12=Headland (Eire) 279pw
12=Warwickshire 279pw
14 Norfolk 275pw
15=Gloucestershire 271pw
15=ACS (Eire) 271pw
15=IAC (Eire) 271pw
18 APS 268pw
19 Cotswold 265pw
20=Gwynedd 263pw
20=Cambridgeshire (county) 263pw
20=Bristol and Region 263pw
20=Oxford 263pw
20=Albion Archaeology 263pw
25 Northants 262pw
26=Gifford 259pw
26=Marches Archaeology 259pw
28=Headland (Scotland) 258pw
28=Archaeological Solutions 258pw
28=AC Archaeology 258pw
28=Cambria Archaeology 258pw
28=Essex 258pw
28=WYAS 258pw
28=Worcester 258pw
28=Tyne and Wear 258pw
28=LP Archaeology 258pw
37 Archaeological Inv'gns 257pw
38=AOC (Scotland) 254pw
38=Cambridge (City) 254pw

[mercenary]

Well, gotta join this bandwagon!

East Anglian Units are generally good and staffed by human beings. Suffolk a bit quaint and old fashioned in procedures when I was there. Norfolk very good, but pressured by the predatory midlands units into undercosting increasingly frequently.


Best Unit? My current employer which will remain nameless. It's smallish and doesn't advertise so is not on Kevins best pay list, but might just come second.

[sniper]

have to disagree on the YAT front. I have worked for some awful units and they are much better, at least from my experience, which, I have to admit, has not been on the digging side for a while. Not without problems, which I am not going to go into, but there is a lot of good stuff going on there. Have to at least defend myself, as I am one of your "categories", and I hope I can do my job with some competence.

++ i spend my days rummaging around in dead people ++

[mercenary]

Sniper,

You are right, and I apologize. Some very good specialists there, yourself included I'm sure. My beef is with the excavation side, and new excavation staff need to know about a lack of holiday or sick pay, crummy management and random contract terminations, when making a decision about working for a Unit.

[muddyandcold]

quote:Originally posted by troll

Does anyone else find it just a tad nauseating that in theory, we should`nt actually say anything negative about shi*e units and practises for fear of being sued? Smacks of what we laughingly describe as a "democratic" British government really. The entire country is run on lies, falsehoods and smokescreens. A Member of Parliament who was in the know relating to all details in the run-up to the illegal invasion of Iraq has been blocked by Bliar from publishing a book on the subject. This endemic and seemingly "English" practise of guarding fact at all costs because it is potentially damaging induces puke. If Mr Hosty feels that we have overstepped the mark here, then edit I duly shall however, on a personal note to those who feel I have wronged them, please, sue me-I`d love to release all details in a court of law attended by the media. Not remotely interested in complying with a "law" designed to protect the interests of filth who have clearly been misled to believe that they occupy a position that allows them to behave badly in the comfort of knowing that the facts will be smothered. Bollo*ks, frankly.Morning all.......as a caveat-I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY COMMENTS PERSONALLY-THEY HAVE NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH THE AIMS/OBJECTIVES OF BAJR.

Here, here Troll!!

If any of these 'companies' feel they have been wronged let them have their say on BAJR or in court. I for one would be happy to stand up and give up all the evidence i have collected over the years !!! Lets make people aware of the crap standards these companies practise, and hopefully force their standards UP, or encourage them to retire!!

Likewise, I will issue the following caveat to messages I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY COMMENTS PERSONALLY-THEY HAVE NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH THE AIMS/OBJECTIVES OF BAJR.

[troll]

Easy now tiger! Moves are afoot to approach the sticky issue of adequate policing in other rooms as we speak...lets see what happens. In terms of "forcing them to retire", it`s not uncommon for such units to find that they suddenly have no-one willing to work for them anymore. Does happen. Whilst I share your obvious desire for change, I do believe (having read the news on the IFA site) that things might just be about to change for the better. Balaklava`s back in the bottom drawer......dialogue/negotiation/communication and most importantly of all, observation! We seem to think that we simply talk to ourselves on here mate-not true-people are listening, taking note and, if I`m not mistaken, making good noises as we speak. Patience my little rioter......the messages have been getting through.............