Topic ID #236 - posted 2/19/2007 7:42 AM
Jennifer Palmer
Webmaster
How many techs have heard of or joined the UAFT?
Jennifer Palmer
Webmaster
From the archaeologyfieldwork.com archives...
Originally posted by
Justin Rego
website guest
Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Union (Read 670 times)
Feb 4th, 2003, 9:15pm
I was wondering how many people who visit this site have heard of or are currently memebr of the UAFT, the United Arch Field Techs Union? I feel strongly that something should be done about the low wages and lack of benefits in the CRM industry, and that we field techs should make enough to have an apartment at least!
http://members.aol.com/UAFT/home.htm
Original poll results:
How many techs have heard of or joined the UAFT?
Never heard of UAFT 12 (23%)
Currently a Member of UAFT 3 (5.7%)
Considered Joining the UAFT 12 (23%)
Formerly a Member of UAFT, but did not renew 6 (11.5%)
Not interested 14 (26.9%)
Not a field tech 5 (9.6%)
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Jennifer Palmer, webmaster
archaeologyfieldwork.com administrator
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #1 - Feb 4th, 2003, 9:45pm
I would suggest adding an option to the poll of 'Formerly a member'. I've known a few techs who failed to renew their UAFT membership since they believed it was a lost cause. Not that I necessarily agree... I believe that field technicians certainly should earn salaries comparable to entry-level positions at other jobs requiring similar education and experience. Even better would be the proposed tier classification system of Field Technician I, II, III...
Jennifer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
tynant
website member
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #2 - Feb 4th, 2003, 10:56pm
Jennifer, i seem to be getting an error when I try to add the new category....could you add it in for me? Thanks! justin
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Palmer, webmaster
archaeologyfieldwork.com administrator
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #3 - Feb 4th, 2003, 11:02pm
Justin, I took care of it. I forgot that you wouldn't have been able to alter the poll. You must be a registered user of this website (with a username and password) to later go back and edit or delete your messages. Thanks!
Jennifer
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anthrogirl
website member
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #4 - Feb 6th, 2003, 8:24pm
I don't like the part about "The Apprentice Program" and "Continuing Education" - I didn't spend 4+ years in college to become an apprentice, and I think all of us currently continue on with our education as necessary - section 106, etc.
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ceasar
website guest
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #5 - Feb 20th, 2003, 3:43pm
Stay away from the union. They are a bunch of idiots! Cheated me out of 10Gs of back pay because they were greedy. Or better yet, get some folks with half a brain in their head and start all over. Im all for more money for techs, but the UAFT is all about suing companys for money. My 2 cents...
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Curious
website guest
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #6 - Feb 20th, 2003, 4:02pm
Care to share your story rather than just calling them "idiots"? More information might be helpful...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Dixon
website guest
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #7 - Feb 25th, 2003, 7:59pm
I live in the heart of Molly Maguire country and and have a little Irish in me but still don't like unions in general, nothing personal against the UAFT. My suggestion is to not take jobs offering a nonprofessional wage. I'm not sure what that wage is, but I know it when I see it, and $7.25 starting wage being offered by Missouri DOT is definitely not it. I hope if we each do our part to turn down a few jobs and tell the firms why, that we can take a step forward. I know there are companies out there paying at least $11 and $12 dollars, why can't more be doing this and better. Hopefully, sites like this can bring more of us together and be a more informed workforce.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rkeyo
archaeologyfieldwork.com moderator
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #8 - Mar 2nd, 2003, 3:00pm
I spent 25 years doing technical work in professional show biz before I became an archaeologist. Eleven of those years were spent as a member of what many consider to be the best union in the country and the one most other unions model their contracts after. However, on the whole, I believe they kept me out of work more than in it. In addition, it was run by cliques and was incredibly nepotistic.
Unlike my good friend Bob Swain, I see archaeology as a profession, not just a job. If it is just a job, then we are just labor - and more often than not, migrant - and can expect to be treated as such. We are in a business and a field that exists commercially only because laws force people to deal with it. It is seen as a debit, an expensive nuisance. This is partially because the has failed miserably in explaining to the general public why it is important and worth pursuing. Moreover, the colleges and universities of America graduate somewhere around 10 to 15 THOUSAND "archaeologists" every year. I doubt that there are that many arch jobs in total, much less permanent ones with benefits. Thus, we have a situation, noted by others in many of the threads on the discussion board, in which there are dozens, if not hundreds, of naive, inexperienced young people willing to accept and put up with low wages and intolerable working and living conditions in order to "do archaeology." I do not see that a union would do anything to change this.
On the other hand, taking personal responsibility for finding out about the profession before trying to enter it, and learning how, as an individual, to turn down what is unacceptable can go a long way towards forcing companies to pay wages comensurate with the professional level of education and experience the job requires, get rid of incompetant, arrogant, emotionally unstable supervisors, and provide decent, safe working conditions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from webmaster: I have re-opened this poll, and your comments are welcome.
Originally posted by
Justin Rego
website guest
Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Union (Read 670 times)
Feb 4th, 2003, 9:15pm
I was wondering how many people who visit this site have heard of or are currently memebr of the UAFT, the United Arch Field Techs Union? I feel strongly that something should be done about the low wages and lack of benefits in the CRM industry, and that we field techs should make enough to have an apartment at least!
http://members.aol.com/UAFT/home.htm
Original poll results:
How many techs have heard of or joined the UAFT?
Never heard of UAFT 12 (23%)
Currently a Member of UAFT 3 (5.7%)
Considered Joining the UAFT 12 (23%)
Formerly a Member of UAFT, but did not renew 6 (11.5%)
Not interested 14 (26.9%)
Not a field tech 5 (9.6%)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Palmer, webmaster
archaeologyfieldwork.com administrator
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #1 - Feb 4th, 2003, 9:45pm
I would suggest adding an option to the poll of 'Formerly a member'. I've known a few techs who failed to renew their UAFT membership since they believed it was a lost cause. Not that I necessarily agree... I believe that field technicians certainly should earn salaries comparable to entry-level positions at other jobs requiring similar education and experience. Even better would be the proposed tier classification system of Field Technician I, II, III...
Jennifer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
tynant
website member
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #2 - Feb 4th, 2003, 10:56pm
Jennifer, i seem to be getting an error when I try to add the new category....could you add it in for me? Thanks! justin
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Palmer, webmaster
archaeologyfieldwork.com administrator
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #3 - Feb 4th, 2003, 11:02pm
Justin, I took care of it. I forgot that you wouldn't have been able to alter the poll. You must be a registered user of this website (with a username and password) to later go back and edit or delete your messages. Thanks!
Jennifer
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
anthrogirl
website member
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #4 - Feb 6th, 2003, 8:24pm
I don't like the part about "The Apprentice Program" and "Continuing Education" - I didn't spend 4+ years in college to become an apprentice, and I think all of us currently continue on with our education as necessary - section 106, etc.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ceasar
website guest
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #5 - Feb 20th, 2003, 3:43pm
Stay away from the union. They are a bunch of idiots! Cheated me out of 10Gs of back pay because they were greedy. Or better yet, get some folks with half a brain in their head and start all over. Im all for more money for techs, but the UAFT is all about suing companys for money. My 2 cents...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Curious
website guest
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #6 - Feb 20th, 2003, 4:02pm
Care to share your story rather than just calling them "idiots"? More information might be helpful...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Dixon
website guest
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #7 - Feb 25th, 2003, 7:59pm
I live in the heart of Molly Maguire country and and have a little Irish in me but still don't like unions in general, nothing personal against the UAFT. My suggestion is to not take jobs offering a nonprofessional wage. I'm not sure what that wage is, but I know it when I see it, and $7.25 starting wage being offered by Missouri DOT is definitely not it. I hope if we each do our part to turn down a few jobs and tell the firms why, that we can take a step forward. I know there are companies out there paying at least $11 and $12 dollars, why can't more be doing this and better. Hopefully, sites like this can bring more of us together and be a more informed workforce.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rkeyo
archaeologyfieldwork.com moderator
Re: Anyone joined the "United Arch Field Tech" Uni
Reply #8 - Mar 2nd, 2003, 3:00pm
I spent 25 years doing technical work in professional show biz before I became an archaeologist. Eleven of those years were spent as a member of what many consider to be the best union in the country and the one most other unions model their contracts after. However, on the whole, I believe they kept me out of work more than in it. In addition, it was run by cliques and was incredibly nepotistic.
Unlike my good friend Bob Swain, I see archaeology as a profession, not just a job. If it is just a job, then we are just labor - and more often than not, migrant - and can expect to be treated as such. We are in a business and a field that exists commercially only because laws force people to deal with it. It is seen as a debit, an expensive nuisance. This is partially because the has failed miserably in explaining to the general public why it is important and worth pursuing. Moreover, the colleges and universities of America graduate somewhere around 10 to 15 THOUSAND "archaeologists" every year. I doubt that there are that many arch jobs in total, much less permanent ones with benefits. Thus, we have a situation, noted by others in many of the threads on the discussion board, in which there are dozens, if not hundreds, of naive, inexperienced young people willing to accept and put up with low wages and intolerable working and living conditions in order to "do archaeology." I do not see that a union would do anything to change this.
On the other hand, taking personal responsibility for finding out about the profession before trying to enter it, and learning how, as an individual, to turn down what is unacceptable can go a long way towards forcing companies to pay wages comensurate with the professional level of education and experience the job requires, get rid of incompetant, arrogant, emotionally unstable supervisors, and provide decent, safe working conditions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from webmaster: I have re-opened this poll, and your comments are welcome.
Post ID#359 - replied 2/19/2007 3:54 PM
Liz
I didn't think UAFT was still around, and judging from their website, I guess they aren't. I personally think a union for field techs is a good idea. Unfortunately some of my fellow field techs do not - which I find especially interesting when some of these same people complain about ridiculously low wages.
Post ID#360 - replied 2/19/2007 3:58 PM
Jennifer Palmer
Webmaster
I was actually wondering if they were still in existence, as I haven't heard anything from them or about them in a verrrry long time...
Post ID#392 - replied 2/21/2007 3:17 AM
spynavy
This is straight from their website. Looks like they went away.
United Archaeological Field Technicians
This site has become virtual material culture. We've all moved on to other things. We won some, lost some. No regrets. Sorry about dated material, bad links, returned mail, etc. If you want a union, get your friends together and go for it! I've left the site up just in case it might give you some ideas.... Good Luck!
Signing off,
Joe 5/1/06
United Archaeological Field Technicians
This site has become virtual material culture. We've all moved on to other things. We won some, lost some. No regrets. Sorry about dated material, bad links, returned mail, etc. If you want a union, get your friends together and go for it! I've left the site up just in case it might give you some ideas.... Good Luck!
Signing off,
Joe 5/1/06
Post ID#8672 - replied 6/9/2008 1:22 PM
ROC
Years ago I worked for a company that had been stung hard by the UAFT. I then worked as the Field Director at another company in 2000. I recommended to that company they establish the Dept. of Labor wage classification pay rate as the minimum rate for persons working on Gov. contracts with us. Once I explained they could avoid potential problems with UAFT by doing this they implemented my recommendation.
My point? It has been 18 years and I have seen no increase in that rate.
I might be wrong since I don't study this in detail anymore. But if the rate has remained the same it was a losing bet if I ever saw one.
ROC
My point? It has been 18 years and I have seen no increase in that rate.
I might be wrong since I don't study this in detail anymore. But if the rate has remained the same it was a losing bet if I ever saw one.
ROC
Post ID#8689 - replied 6/9/2008 11:28 PM
FireArch
Moderator
[quote:="ROC"]My point? It has been 18 years and I have seen no increase in that rate.
That's because those people still dont get it! They understand nothing about our world, and dont care to know anything about our world, and they make a point of it seemingly daily. But maybe that just me being cynical...lol. Then again see Bob's update:
[quote:="DesetRat"]Fast forwarding to today, I am a very well-paid PI-type dude with a smallish company that pays good wages to all employees, ensures fair--maybe better than fair--treatment, doesn't compromise on ethics, and, amazingly, still manages to make a buck. I do my best as an individual to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.
They seem to get it, so I suppose it's possible....
[quote:="DesetRat"]I joined UAFT in 1998, when I was a permanent, salaried associate at SWCA. In that capacity, I actually attended (I'm not making this up) an AACRA meeting in Phoenix with (several other CRM principals), the subject of which was how to mess with UAFT and, most specifically, how to discreetly identify members and informally blacklist them. All I ever saw resulting from acitivities on either side was verbiage, and really not even a whole lot of that.
I knew this was factual, but had only heard pieces of the story. Still, I repeated it often enough so it must have been true, right? :lol:
That's because those people still dont get it! They understand nothing about our world, and dont care to know anything about our world, and they make a point of it seemingly daily. But maybe that just me being cynical...lol. Then again see Bob's update:
[quote:="DesetRat"]Fast forwarding to today, I am a very well-paid PI-type dude with a smallish company that pays good wages to all employees, ensures fair--maybe better than fair--treatment, doesn't compromise on ethics, and, amazingly, still manages to make a buck. I do my best as an individual to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.
They seem to get it, so I suppose it's possible....
[quote:="DesetRat"]I joined UAFT in 1998, when I was a permanent, salaried associate at SWCA. In that capacity, I actually attended (I'm not making this up) an AACRA meeting in Phoenix with (several other CRM principals), the subject of which was how to mess with UAFT and, most specifically, how to discreetly identify members and informally blacklist them. All I ever saw resulting from acitivities on either side was verbiage, and really not even a whole lot of that.
I knew this was factual, but had only heard pieces of the story. Still, I repeated it often enough so it must have been true, right? :lol: