6th September 2008, 11:41 AM
I went through single status twice with a local government unit. It was pretty horrific, and the archaeology jobs ended up being done last as 'they couldn't really be compared with anything else'. What happened was that in both cases (for scales 1-3 and 4-6), the responsibility scores for the job I was in maxed out the calculations. A hasty revision was then carried out to bring them safely back within the grade scores- a sample conversation.
'we decided that a degree was not an essential qualification for your job'
'that's not what the person spec says'
'that's what we say. By the way, the grade you were promoted to has been removed, and you'll be back where you were a year ago'
'Why's that?'
'You don't need to be degree qualified. That would have put you into the supervisor pay grade.'
Much the same happened on the higher level jobs
In effect, the scores go off to the JMC, proposals are made and vested interests (eg trades unions whose staff are looking at pay cuts, managers looking at budgets, machiavellian managers looking at pushing their own pay rise under the next stage by showing how responsible their staff are, lawyers looking at potential indirect discrimination suits) then proceed to play with the ratings across the whole of local government so you end up with much the same pay as before. A few jobs (usually the worst paid) go up a little, some go down a little. Most stay the much the same, but the worst cases of indirect discrimination get ironed out (if not necessarily all that satisfctorily)
Bitter, No. Just deeply unconvinced of the viability of any way of upping pay and conditions until we start to act like professionals; some of us do, just not enough. Curators, start setting planning conditions that represent an effective response; Consultants, stop arguing down costs at every stage; Contractors, stop undercutting each other and stop exploiting people who are so desperate to be archaeologists that they'll go to work without insurance or a living wage. Most importantly, start respecting ourselves and not working for aforementioned scumbags, not tendering for badly thought out schemes, not deliberatelt tendering low and hoping you'll be able to blag the shortfall, not acquiescing in the destruction of our shared past, possibly even (shudder to think) leaving archaeology if we can't make a decent living out of it. I'm sure that something like this could be written into personal IFA membership?
Be positive. We have to make the case as to why the past matters. We can only move the situation on when we've got a service to sell that people actually want to buy. It can be done.
Why? Because we're worth it.
(edited for comedy missing negative)
'we decided that a degree was not an essential qualification for your job'
'that's not what the person spec says'
'that's what we say. By the way, the grade you were promoted to has been removed, and you'll be back where you were a year ago'
'Why's that?'
'You don't need to be degree qualified. That would have put you into the supervisor pay grade.'
Much the same happened on the higher level jobs
In effect, the scores go off to the JMC, proposals are made and vested interests (eg trades unions whose staff are looking at pay cuts, managers looking at budgets, machiavellian managers looking at pushing their own pay rise under the next stage by showing how responsible their staff are, lawyers looking at potential indirect discrimination suits) then proceed to play with the ratings across the whole of local government so you end up with much the same pay as before. A few jobs (usually the worst paid) go up a little, some go down a little. Most stay the much the same, but the worst cases of indirect discrimination get ironed out (if not necessarily all that satisfctorily)
Bitter, No. Just deeply unconvinced of the viability of any way of upping pay and conditions until we start to act like professionals; some of us do, just not enough. Curators, start setting planning conditions that represent an effective response; Consultants, stop arguing down costs at every stage; Contractors, stop undercutting each other and stop exploiting people who are so desperate to be archaeologists that they'll go to work without insurance or a living wage. Most importantly, start respecting ourselves and not working for aforementioned scumbags, not tendering for badly thought out schemes, not deliberatelt tendering low and hoping you'll be able to blag the shortfall, not acquiescing in the destruction of our shared past, possibly even (shudder to think) leaving archaeology if we can't make a decent living out of it. I'm sure that something like this could be written into personal IFA membership?
Be positive. We have to make the case as to why the past matters. We can only move the situation on when we've got a service to sell that people actually want to buy. It can be done.
Why? Because we're worth it.
(edited for comedy missing negative)