Following productive conversations with our recognised union, Prospect, we’re pleased to announce a new multi-year pay deal for all MOLA staff.

Spanning 3-years, this industry-first deal offers increases in-line with inflation, with a further 2% increase contingent on our financial performance over a given year. In addition to a 5% rise applied in October of this year, this could potentially see salaries at MOLA increase by up to 20% by 2028.

Alongside this, we are also working on a new pay progression model, ensuring experience and talent at MOLA is better recognised and rewarded.

Sharon Brown, Prospect Negotiator, said:

“This is a positive deal for our members who now have welcome certainty about future pay, allowing them much needed peace of mind. Archaeology is a highly skilled but historically poorly paid profession so an assurance of pay rises above inflation has been very well received.

The deal shows what you can achieve when unions, reps and employers work together to enhance the business and give employees a proper stake in their future. It is our hope that this pay deal will become the benchmark for the sector, allowing workers to be able to afford to stay in the industry they love.”

Our Chief Executive, Guy Hunt, said:

“This is a brand-new approach for us, offering a progressive, multi-year pay deal to our staff. MOLA has had a challenging 18 months, however, this deal is a key component of the positive changes we want to make. Our goal over the next few years is to improve staff pay, rebuild our reserves, and put the organisation on to a sustainable long-term footing.

We thank Prospect for the productive way in which they have worked with MOLA over the past couple of years and we hope this multi-year offer represents another strong step forward”

Our union Section Chair, Cat Gibbs, said:

"Wages in the archaeological sector have remained below inflation since the recession in 2009 and were impacted further during COVID 19. Following direction from our members, in 2022 the Archaeologists Branch of Prospect resolved to tackle this head on, and our recent work at MOLA was informed by data analysis and negotiations across the sector by reps from companies that recognise Prospect Union.

The constructive discussions with MOLA build on this foundation and together we continue to work towards a shared aim of increasing pay in an approach that supports both our members and the organisation. The multi-year deal agreed at MOLA this year is a positive turning point for our members and hopefully the wider sector."

This move represents just one of the first steps we are taking to develop and improve MOLA over the coming years. In the new year we’ll be launching our wider strategic vision, setting exciting new ambitions to ensure we remain at the forefront of archaeological practice. Watch this space for further details.

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