21st May 2009, 10:08 PM
Thanks for the concern and sentiments Gilraen, I do love our job and will do my damndest not to leave. Its obviously a highly unstable industry and i accept that risk but as you say it is a aknowledged and accepted thing for temporary field staff to be treated woefully.
Yet why?
Especially when you consider that development could be efectively slowed if there were no diggers present to dig. We are technically the fee earners for the company and a limited bunch we are (c.5000), that we are treated so lamentably should not even be a concern. However once agan here lies the issue (and this maybe a little close to the quick) of course if no circuit diggers do the work as a sort of temp. field stff wide strike its no problem as volunteers can jump in and do it, better yet they can pay, instead of being paid. Naturally this is not their fault, they have the same interest as the rest of us. The developer cares little about the quality of the work o it isn'ta problem. But it is. As there is so little accountability in archaeology. Without accountablity there are few standards. Without minimum standards, there are no checks and balances and in turn without those i worry that our industry cannot improve and become what it should be. A valid, respected and viable part of the construction industry.
Yet why?
Especially when you consider that development could be efectively slowed if there were no diggers present to dig. We are technically the fee earners for the company and a limited bunch we are (c.5000), that we are treated so lamentably should not even be a concern. However once agan here lies the issue (and this maybe a little close to the quick) of course if no circuit diggers do the work as a sort of temp. field stff wide strike its no problem as volunteers can jump in and do it, better yet they can pay, instead of being paid. Naturally this is not their fault, they have the same interest as the rest of us. The developer cares little about the quality of the work o it isn'ta problem. But it is. As there is so little accountability in archaeology. Without accountablity there are few standards. Without minimum standards, there are no checks and balances and in turn without those i worry that our industry cannot improve and become what it should be. A valid, respected and viable part of the construction industry.