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THE ARCHAEOLOGY FIRM at the centre of an industrial relations row with the trade union Unite has denied it is in dispute with its workers, or that they are unfairly paid.
There have been a number of strike days at sites in Dublin and Cork in recent weeks as workers demand an improvement in pay. The Irish Archaeological Consultancy (IAC) has rejected requests by Unite to engage in negotiations at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
The company said this is because it is already paying more than the union has negotiated in a recent deal with another company.
“IAC is not in dispute with its employees; it is in disagreement with a third-party, the trade union Unite – an organisation with its own interests which is endeavouring to disrupt the working lives of our employees and our company,” Rob Lynch, managing director of the company told TheJournal.ie.
“IAC have communicated this, as well as the fact the company is paying in excess of the Unite pay claim, on a number of occasions to the WRC.”
He claimed the firm is paying archaeologists 7% more than a pay claim by Unite in February this year and that its rates exceed those in an agreement reached between the union and another major commercial archaeology company.
On all new projects IAC are paying our archaeologists 10% more than the rate recently negotiated by Unite, on behalf their members, and this other company. On all new projects IAC are currently paying our archaeologists 5.3% more than Unite members will get paid by the end of 2020 under the rates recently negotiated between Unite and this other company.
‘Badly paid’
Unite has said its members’ contracts currently stipulate an hourly wage of €12.50 and that rates do not take into account the precarious nature of the job.
“I don’t think people realise – when you tell people you’re an archaeologist they say ‘oh wow, great job’. People just presume, they don’t know that it’s really badly paid, you’re out there in this weather,” Jean O’Dowd, Unite archaeology branch chair said last week.
The Portmarnock crowd are finishing today and they only found that out last week, so they had a week’s notice to find a new job. That’s constant and that’s not taken into consideration in pay.
O’Dowd said the industrial action will continue.
A clear pathway
Lynch said it introduced a new career development structure in August this year to offer “a clear pathway to employees to map their career progression”. This system, it said, will reward qualifications and experience accumulated by staff and will be phased across all projects by the end of November.
“IAC respects the rights of each employee and we give this effect by determining pay and conditions with employees directly.
“The company also respects the right of anyone to join a trade union. This is something that we have previously communicated with all our staff. The company and individual employees also have rights: these include the right not to be obliged to communicate with each other through a third party,” he added.
“This is the path which our company will continue to pursue.”
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Its cool to bash Trade Unions but without them we wouldn’t have decent working conditions. Its s vital part of a civilised society. And I’m speaking as an employer.
@Squiddley Diddley: totally agree , it is an important protection against abuse. There probably more to this case than stated, but I’d be highly suspicious of unions attempting the strong arm on their own initiative. Unchecked, that becomes a teamster system where they control the workers lives and the business operations.
@Squiddley Diddley: Speaking as a Employee and member of a trade UNION that has been exposed to Trade Unions bashing their own members you may have a different view on their vital argument of a Civil Society . I am sure that Mr Maurice McCabe and his Family and so many more could tell you while we wait for a never coming apology from the connected Unions that smearing their own members or any workers isn’t COOL
Highly qualified people getting just above minimum wage or what you get on the tills in German discounters and they get 4 weeks paid holidays as well.
They deserve better.
I did a degree and a Masters in Archaeology. I was always interested in it and I wanted to be an archaeologist like many others since I saw Indiana Jones as a child and went to Trim castle.
When I started university in 2006 graduates were getting offers before the end of term to work on sites. The pay was very good – 35k in some cases. By the time I had finally graduated in 2010 there was no more work – the boom was over. No more site work.
Getting an unpaid internship was tough. Many of these companies started looking for volunteers for Archaeology work instead of paid workers.
I had to leave archaeology and sell my soul and go work in IT. Luckily I had gotten a bit of experience in Databases and we had learned good technical skills that were very transferable.
The average age to leave archaeology as a career is 35.
Support the workers!
@Ciarán FitzGerald: We need people like you back in the profession and saving our heritage.
This is like the agency nurse scam. The State or a State agency should employ direct at professional rates.
Imagine if we had a Wood Quay onsite museum/heritage centre as an all weather tourist draw. No, better to built a monstrosity for Council administrators and block the view of an architectural gem. Will we ever learn!
Pay archeologists a decent professional wage, the same as other professional on construction site such as engineers etc. It’s Clear exploitation of workers.
Shame on the archaeology companies.
They should stop dragging up the past.
Or just pay them a good wage, so they can focus on their job and not how they’ll pay rent etc
Are these the workers we are going to have to ask to examine the graves of babies in Tuam. ? They deserve a living wage.
They should stop digging up the past.
have your say