[CAUT] Getting paid for non-university events

[Jeff Tanner]

On Aug 20, 2007, at 3:55 PM, Rob Goodale wrote:

> For those full-time university staff techs:
>
> I have been getting regularly ripped off by the Performing Arts  
> Center hall.  As typical I am responsible for tuning and  
> maintaining pianos for UNIVERSITY business, (i.e. music department  
> staff/faculty, orchestras, etc).  However, when non-university  
> outside groups come in such as visiting orchestras, high school  
> competitions, pop bands, etc, I should be getting paid for my  
> services.  These groups are charged for renting the hall, use of  
> the piano, AND a charge specifically for the tuning.  Sometimes I  
> even have to come in on weekends or late evenings for these events.
>
> During the last few years there has been virtually a complete turn- 
> over of the music department personnel.  Only a small handful of  
> people are still here that were present when I arrived 8.5 years  
> ago, including administration.  For all practical purposes it is a  
> completely different school.  Over time my getting paid for outside  
> groups has been slipping through the cracks.  I have been  
> protesting this for some time and the current administration hasn't  
> a clue how to fix this.  The chair says "talk to the department  
> accountant".  The department accountant says "talk to the  
> performing arts hall administrator".  The PFA says "I don't know  
> how to fix this, go talk to the chair".  No one wants to take  
> responsibility for the paperwork to pay me.  I made the suggestion  
> that I check with some other university techs to see what  
> procedures are used to pay the tech for these kinds of events.   
> They agreed that would be helpful.  Then they would have something  
> to copy and can agree that it was done correctly.  Whatever.
>
> So... for those university techs in similar arrangements, please  
> tell me the typical procedure for how you get paid for outside  
> events.  At the moment the hall has been forwarding an annual. (or  
> simi-annual), lump sum for my services to the music department  
> which goes into the piano maintenance account.  Then it sits there  
> while I protest and not get paid.  Last year I discovered someone  
> stole about $3,000 of it to repair a bassoon!!
>
> Thanks for your help,
>
> Rob
>

Hi Rob,
This is exactly why my predecessor turned down maintaining the piano  
at our university-but-not-school-of-music-owned performing arts  
center.  We have a "dual-employment" policy here which won't allow us  
to be paid more than our complete annual salary.  We can be "dually  
employed", but the other department is basically reimbursing our  
department for the portion of salary related to hours worked.  I  
can't legally make extra money working for other departments.   
Neither can I be paid overtime -- only comp time.  Money ends at 40  
hours a week.  (The pay scale is calculated at 40, but a full work  
week is 37.5.)

Since we're so understaffed for school of music piano inventory, our  
"official" policy is that I am only responsible for instruments owned  
by the school of music.  The only exception we make to that policy is  
taking care of the piano at the President's House, which might as  
well be owned by the school of music.  They made us pay for its  
complete restoration about 15 years ago.  It's only usually once a  
year for a Christmas party or something, so that's not a bad deal.   
The performing arts center has been contracting with a very good  
technician in town since it opened.  He is the only technician they  
will allow to touch the instruments.

I have filled in for him on occasion when he couldn't schedule a job,  
or if he was doing shop work that day and didn't want to interrupt  
that to make the trip in to town, but HE pays me after he bills the  
performing arts center.

There is a lot of weekend work involved with the performing arts  
center, and he can bill them market rates.  They could only comp our  
department for my hourly salary.  At least a good technician is  
earning what he is worth for keeping the piano up.

It really doesn't hurt my feelings that I don't tune for the  
Performing Arts Center, which adjoins our building.  I am not asked  
to be here on weekends for no extra money.

Just let it go.  You will appreciate the freedom more than the extra  
pay.


On Aug 21, 2007, at 8:50 AM, Paul T Williams wrote:
> Many of those were evening and weekend gigs, but I'm not  
> compensated in my pocket. I do get to see a lot of shows for free,  
> so I could look at it that way I suppose,

Do the other venues in town compensate their tuners with free seats  
and no paycheck?

> but some shows I'd rather not attend...

There ya go.  I wouldn't put in any extra time I wasn't being  
compensated for.  We're paid MUCH too little as it is.  Going above  
and beyond the call of duty only results in higher expectations - not  
higher pay.

Jeff



Jeff Tanner, RPT
University of South Carolina



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