Event Technicians Chain Table

The Archaeology chain table is concerned about the position and appreciation of the field. Various studies show that archaeologists consistently rank at the bottom of income lists for higher professional education and academic graduates. At the same time, entering the recognized part of the profession is not easy and often a long road. Consequently, too many archaeologists leave the profession prematurely or remain stuck in entry-level positions. The market for excavation companies is complex and does not make solutions simple. Nevertheless, the participants of the chain table are driven to strengthen the labor market position of archaeologists. Henk Koster (independent advisor and current director of SIKB) has joined as the independent chair of the chain table.

In-depth research into pricing and labor relations

Following preparatory discussions with sector experts from the Vinken-Wolters research by HTH Research, the program was introduced at the Groot Reuvensoverleg on February 15, 2022. The sector requires in-depth research into pricing and labor relations. Elaborating, launching, and supervising this research became one of the first activities of a chain table. Following advice from the Council for Culture (RvC), the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) pointed the archaeology sector toward the role of Platform ACCT. Intended chain partners and their representatives were identified and approached through the program. The first chain table took place on March 17, 2022. Agenda: launching in-depth research, exploring a collective labor agreement (CAO), and the composition of the table.

Establishing a labor monitor and developing model regulations for employment conditions

Although the subsector has various representative parties, it is difficult to include all interests properly and proportionately. There is a great diversity of professional practices, and representative associations are not always equipped for the role required by the chain table. Nevertheless, workers, employers, and intermediaries are well-represented, and vocational training programs and special specialists are involved. A clear focus on the task and the intended result, along with the associated mandate, is a topic that frequently comes to the table. The group is working on two substantive lines, assisted where necessary by independent researchers from the sector. Firstly, the establishment of a labor market monitor with an in-depth baseline measurement (and intended periodic follow-up) to provide an objective and accurate picture of all workers, remuneration, and movements in the labor market. Finding reliable data sources is not easy here, as professionals within archaeology cannot be clearly identified in, for example, CBS data.

As a second line of action, work is being done on a set of employment conditions (specifically translated for freelancers) that can serve as a guideline within the industry. This concerns workers who do not yet fall under the scope of an adjacent collective labor agreement (for example, archaeologists employed by municipalities). The urgency of the task is supported by the Council for Culture, which, in its evaluation of the Heritage Act (February 2022), points to the poor income position of archaeologists. It also suggests the development of a sector-wide collective labor agreement. In her policy response to the Council’s advice, State Secretary for Culture and Media Gunay Uslu stated her support for the social dialogue within the fairPACCT chain table, guided by the Fair Practice Code (November 2022).