I just read the Archaeology website's series Have Trowel, Will Travel. I have had a different experience.
I have been a field tech and crew chief for 9 years. I have worked for a total of 4 companies over those 9 years. I have experienced not one episode of sexual harrassment ever. Yes I am a female. There was only one time where the project ended and there was no work. That was the only time I did not choose to leave the company I was working for. I guess I have been lucky to have had such steady employment.
I worked for 3.5 years at one company and recently left to go to grad school. I enjoyed my time at that company and felt it was very valuable. I co-authored nine reports over the last two years. They provide full time employment all year, benefits--medical and dental. They just added an AFLAC supplement to the benefit package. They promote from within and are very interested in quality personnel. Not to say there are no drawbacks but after reading your article they seem like a very good place to work.They do a lot of per diem projects and the crew always stays in hotels. Some are nicer than others but they are all livable. The crew has a say in the hotel choice. If there is a cheap nasty hotel or a nicer more expensive one (within per diem rate) the crew as a whole can voice their opinion on where they stay. The field supervisor has the ultimate decision.
I wrote this because the series Have Trowel Will Travel seemed to say that all archeologist suffer on a daily basis. I cannot say I have lived in the lap of luxury but I have not experienced the kind of things you posted in the series.
Just call me a happy archie.
This article is one of a series written by people working in archaeology called Experience Tells.
