!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!IT IS
OFFICIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
-Please pass this along to other appropriate lists-
 
A few minutes ago ACRA was informed by our labor attorney Maurice Baskin that
the DOL has now officially posted the new three tiered job descriptions for
archaeological technician that ACRA, the Forest Service and the Corps of
Engineers have been fighting so hard to get for the past year and a half.
 There are now three grades of archaeological technician, crew member
(29023), crew chief (29024) and field director (29025).  Wage rates have not
been established for every locality, but they will be based on GS4, 5, and 7
respectively.
 
When asked if the new descriptions are on the internet yet, the DoL says that
there was a glitch, but that they will be up and running in a day or two.
 However, the job descriptions are listed in the DoL index of occupations
even though the descriptions are not uploaded yet.  ACRA has provided a new
link from its site to the INDEX and to the position description page when it
is finally uploaded.  Please visit our site at:
 
http://www.mindspring.com/~wheaton/ACRA.html
 
Our website will be updated with more information on the need to contact
agency contracting personnel, the need to carefully follow the job
descriptions, and other issues in the coming days.
 
Everyone should be cautioned on two accounts.  One, if you bid a contract
with the old high rates without asking the agency to get the new low rates
you will still be liable for the old high rates.  You must make sure that the
agency knows about this new set of job descriptions, and if they hesitate,
you should insist that they contact the DoL for clarification.  Two, if you
have someone do work that is at a tech II level you must pay them tech II
wages for the time they do that task, etc.  You cannot continue to pay them
tech I wages.
 
Remember, tech I is crew member, tech II is crew chief, and tech III is field
director.  However, since field directors will usually be salaried, tech III
will probably not be used very often.  You determine what category your
employees are and you are responsible if you do not pay them the correct
amount.
 
ACRA would like to express its thanks to the ACRA Labor Relations committee:
 Kevin Pape (Gray & Pape), chairman; Dan Roberts, John Milner Associates; Don
Weir, CCRG; Chuck Niquette, Cultural Resource Analysts; Shaune Skinner,
Archaeological Services Consultants; Mike Polk, Sagebrush Consultants; Tom
Wheaton, New South Associates; and Maurice Baskin of Venable, Baejter, Howard
& Civiletti; who put in many long hours and many conference calls.  We would
also like to thank Carol Holtz and Evan deBloois at the USDA Forest Service,
and Greg Noonan at the Corps of Engineers who early on saw the importance of
this issue to their agencies and the conduct of CRM generally.  We would also
like to thank all those ACRA members who contributed to the legal fund,
provided us with information on their personal circumstances, and who wrote
letters of support to the Department of Labor and their representatives in
Congress.  This was truly a joint effort.  Thank you.