27th March 2007, 05:47 PM
This is about redundancy in a major contracting unit in a commercial unit allbeit one within a museum. The figures for the specialists tell there own story 13 specialists earning 250k a year this is about half what it should be (using the figures published in the Field Archaeologists).
I calculate that MOLAS have to loose 6 jobs not 8-11 (assumming all specialists can do all work which clearly they cant). Clearly all is not well with this part of MOLAS.
MOLAS employ 150 core staff plus 200 field staff so with a total payroll of 350 loosing 17 jobs is not that great a proportion.
Specialists always have the option of setting up as freelancers in any event. If somebody has done 20 years with MOLAS they will get a decent redundancy pay and will have a significant pension accrued to them. Reddundancy may therefore suit some people.
These people are specialists with skills and there are other employers in London so they may get jobs with other firms.
Prospects suggestion of "units agree to work together to make improvements that benefit everyone rather than undercutting each other" sounds very much like a cartel arrangement to me and therefore is illegal.
We have seen massive pay increases in archaeology in true terms in the last 12 months and the question has to be asked are these redundancies a consequence of those pay increases.
Peter Wardle
PS Leic said "i struggle to pay tax" sounds to me like you have a good accountant!.
I calculate that MOLAS have to loose 6 jobs not 8-11 (assumming all specialists can do all work which clearly they cant). Clearly all is not well with this part of MOLAS.
MOLAS employ 150 core staff plus 200 field staff so with a total payroll of 350 loosing 17 jobs is not that great a proportion.
Specialists always have the option of setting up as freelancers in any event. If somebody has done 20 years with MOLAS they will get a decent redundancy pay and will have a significant pension accrued to them. Reddundancy may therefore suit some people.
These people are specialists with skills and there are other employers in London so they may get jobs with other firms.
Prospects suggestion of "units agree to work together to make improvements that benefit everyone rather than undercutting each other" sounds very much like a cartel arrangement to me and therefore is illegal.
We have seen massive pay increases in archaeology in true terms in the last 12 months and the question has to be asked are these redundancies a consequence of those pay increases.
Peter Wardle
PS Leic said "i struggle to pay tax" sounds to me like you have a good accountant!.