24th February 2006, 12:02 PM
Sparky by name, sparky by nature
New topic necessary I think ?
In answer to your question if that's what it was. Anybody working in commercial archaeology has worked for low pay on short term contracts and that includes me. This is how field archaeology worked in the past, works now and will continue to work in the future.
Archaeological work is where it is, not where you are and the workload of companies fluctuates. Hence at the coalface - peripatetic workforce.
My initial post made reference to "inherent problems" which indicates that I do not think that everything is tip top in commercial archaeology.
However, low pay does not necessarily go hand in hand with the necessity of employing people on short term contracts. Unfortunately the market rules - as long as there are people willing to work for the pittance paid by some companies, those companies will continue to operate. In order to stay afloat every other company has to financially compete at the level of the lowest common denominator.
The answer to poor pay and conditions is simple - walk away.
Yes, the small number of archaeolgy graduates ready to work for next to nothing to get their foot in the door will keep bad employers going in the short term, but changes to university funding will probably result in decreasing numbers of graduates willing to subject themselves to three to five years of short term contracts and absolute penury on the offchance of progressing to an extremely poorly paid semi-permanent position.
Dreaming of a never never land where archaeology, however humdrum, has absolute priority over every other issue is laughable and suggesting that the mass of the public are overly concerned about the UK's heritage is also laughable. A small number of the public may have a passing interest and a very small minority may possess a deep interest but the majority will continue to scratch their heads and ask "do you get paid for this".
By the way Troll, I dont think some of your responses are "interpreted as aggressive". Aggressive is exactly what they are.
I would suggest that a vocal minority of archaeologists, in site huts and on BAJR, espouse far left agitprop clap trap that was outdated, ineffective and out of step twenty or more years ago. The relevance of this ideology is even more questionable today.
Direct action, industry wide unionisation etc. Never going to happen, and in any case the power of unions is limited nowadays or did you miss or are you conveniently ignoring the 80's and 90's.
One reason for general malaise may be that archaeologists on the whole are non conformist but probably has more to do with widespread apathy, both societal and industry specific.
Sparky, on a few points you were correct. I will not work for anyone who overtly attempts to take the p**s. That is a personal decision made many years ago and if others in field archaeology had the same attitude the industry would be in a better state.
Aggression, insult and political propaganda of whatever shade are not communication or dialogue. Just childish, tedious and exasperating.
New topic necessary I think ?
In answer to your question if that's what it was. Anybody working in commercial archaeology has worked for low pay on short term contracts and that includes me. This is how field archaeology worked in the past, works now and will continue to work in the future.
Archaeological work is where it is, not where you are and the workload of companies fluctuates. Hence at the coalface - peripatetic workforce.
My initial post made reference to "inherent problems" which indicates that I do not think that everything is tip top in commercial archaeology.
However, low pay does not necessarily go hand in hand with the necessity of employing people on short term contracts. Unfortunately the market rules - as long as there are people willing to work for the pittance paid by some companies, those companies will continue to operate. In order to stay afloat every other company has to financially compete at the level of the lowest common denominator.
The answer to poor pay and conditions is simple - walk away.
Yes, the small number of archaeolgy graduates ready to work for next to nothing to get their foot in the door will keep bad employers going in the short term, but changes to university funding will probably result in decreasing numbers of graduates willing to subject themselves to three to five years of short term contracts and absolute penury on the offchance of progressing to an extremely poorly paid semi-permanent position.
Dreaming of a never never land where archaeology, however humdrum, has absolute priority over every other issue is laughable and suggesting that the mass of the public are overly concerned about the UK's heritage is also laughable. A small number of the public may have a passing interest and a very small minority may possess a deep interest but the majority will continue to scratch their heads and ask "do you get paid for this".
By the way Troll, I dont think some of your responses are "interpreted as aggressive". Aggressive is exactly what they are.
I would suggest that a vocal minority of archaeologists, in site huts and on BAJR, espouse far left agitprop clap trap that was outdated, ineffective and out of step twenty or more years ago. The relevance of this ideology is even more questionable today.
Direct action, industry wide unionisation etc. Never going to happen, and in any case the power of unions is limited nowadays or did you miss or are you conveniently ignoring the 80's and 90's.
One reason for general malaise may be that archaeologists on the whole are non conformist but probably has more to do with widespread apathy, both societal and industry specific.
Sparky, on a few points you were correct. I will not work for anyone who overtly attempts to take the p**s. That is a personal decision made many years ago and if others in field archaeology had the same attitude the industry would be in a better state.
Aggression, insult and political propaganda of whatever shade are not communication or dialogue. Just childish, tedious and exasperating.