Scott, our local university significantly increased the compensation from what the previous two technicians were offered when they posted the position that I accepted (based on this fact I'll choose not to take the "doesn't attract quality people" as a slight against me ;). If they hadn't I wouldn't have taken the job, especially considering the workload they expect one technician to handle (less concert grands than Texas Tech, but roughly as many instruments total). But even that low amount they were previously offering was significantly higher than $15.64/hr. That is, as Fred stated, utterly laughable and insulting.
Also, regarding CAUTs supplementing their CAUT work with outside clients - with nearly 100 instruments under my sole care, the majority of which are at least 50 years old, I actually
don't have the time to take on 10 outside clients a week (half that, sure). The assumption that a technician will be able to supplement their (full-time) salary with outside tunings is one of the main assumptions damaging any moves towards more just compensation for CAUT positions. If you're asking someone to work a full-time position, they shouldn't have to supplement that salary in order to reach an equitable net salary.
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Adam Schulte-Bukowinski, RPT
Piano Technician
Glenn Korff School of Music
University of Nebraska at Lincoln
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2019 22:40
From: Scott Kerns
Subject: Positon at Texas Tech University School of Music
I just can't resist chiming in here. I'm not a CAUT but I do contract work for our local school system and I must say, the pay they list is just plain insulting. I'd have to take a massive pay cut to work for them. The pay is almost as bad at our local university. We had a tech come here and I'm pretty sure he just came here to get a discount on his doctorate. He was gone after he graduated. Not a bad motivation I suppose but certainly doesn't attract quality people that will be there for the long haul.
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"That Tuning Guy"
Scott Kerns
www.thattuningguy.com
Tunic OnlyPure, TuneLab & PianoMeter user
Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2019 21:35
From: David Skolnik
Subject: Positon at Texas Tech University School of Music
Martin -
Congratulations on your retirement, hopefully with some degree of health and sanity intact.
I have to say that, given the breadth of your experience, you should be able to offer quite a bit more perspective than you did. I find your suggested solution, proffered with not a small amount of judgement (after gently haranguing for improved salary [you should] invest that time instead... ). Martin, now that you're no longer employed at BU, you could provide an unencumbered comparison between the position you left and the one that's being advertised. Apart from the climate as a possible deterrent, would YOU take such a job? How many years did it take to achieve whatever level of flexibility you suggest is to be found in CAUT work? Does Lubbock provide the same level of outside opportunities as Boston?
I find your lack of disdain for the attitudes projected by this job presentation mystifying.
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David Skolnik [RPT]
Hastings-on-Hudson NY
917-589-2625
Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2019 14:17
From: Martin Snow
Subject: Positon at Texas Tech University School of Music
I understand all this having retired a few months ago after 33 years as Head Tech at Boston University/Music, one option you all may want to consider after gently haranguing for improved salary is to invest that time instead into developing a sideline private client base, CAUT work is generally flexible in timing allowing you to tune at least 10 private client pianos a week ...The day job I always referred to as '' the mother ship'' good benefits, etc etc... martin.
www.snowpianos.com
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Martin Snow
South Burlington VT
617-543-1030
Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2019 13:15
From: Paul M. Rattigan
Subject: Positon at Texas Tech University School of Music
I take you point, Fred, and thanks for your response. I assume that all CAUT posts are free, as opposed to an ad paid for in the Journal online on
PTG.org. I wonder whether the laws apply to free posts?
Sent from my iPhone
Original Message------
There's no question the minimum compensation listed for the position is laughably out of sync with the job description, and with the qualifications that are required. Even allowing for ignorance of the levels of both manual and organizational skill involved in this profession, and the difficulty of acquiring such skills, one would think that a university would consider a $15.64/hr wage for someone with a bachelor's degree and two years experience (required) to be insulting.
For the information of those administrators reading this, typical tuning fees are in the $100+ range these days. A tuning takes somewhat over an hour. If your employee takes a generous two hours per tuning, that would mean being paid $30 per tuning. Why would any of us want to do that? Leaving aside all the other skills we are talking about.
As for what PTG can do, there really isn't anything. We're a trade organization bound by the bizarre rules of the antitrust act (as if we are anything like a trust, and as if we have any real power to conspire to restrain any meaningful trade). What we can do as individuals is refrain from applying, or apply stating that the minimum compensation is absolutely unacceptable, and perhaps offering a minimum compensation level without which there would be no point in proceeding to an interview.
CAUT jobs are generally grossly underpaid for the skills involved, but they are typically at least above $40K/year plus benefits (which are usually worth more or less an additional 50%, so $60K total compensation), and far higher in most metropolitan areas. IOW, bare minimum $20/hr, and that would be for entry level, generally under supervision of a head tech. For the skill levels and duties described in this posting, I would think double that would be appropriate.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
"A mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled." Plutarch