Prospect agrees multi-year pay deal at MOLA in industry first

Prospect trade union has agreed an industry first, multi-year deal with MOLA after constructive negotiations.

Members voted to accept the deal which amounts to a 5% increase this year (Financial Year 2024/25), with a rise of inflation plus 2 percentage points for each of the following three years. The future increases are contingent on the employer hitting realistic targets on its reserves.

In addition to the pay rises we have also agreed reforms to pay progression to help reward experience.

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.”

Guy Hunt, Chief Executive of MOLA 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”