[CAUT] Job Opening, U. of Michigan, Ann Arbor

[Jim Busby]

Jeff,

 

Lots of "stuff" in your post. I'm especially intrigued by the
possibilities of a CAUT credential which may not have PTG or RPT as a
prerequisite. (FLAMESUIT ON!) While I agree, I'm certain PTG won't
entertain this for a moment. But, it IS (IMO) a very important thing to
explore.

 

Thanks,

Jim Busby BYU 

 

 

 

________________________________

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Jeff Tanner
Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 12:12 PM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Job Opening, U. of Michigan, Ann Arbor

 

 

On Oct 9, 2007, at 8:30 AM, Elwood Doss wrote:





It all comes down to educating University Faculty and Administration.

Is the head technician at UMich an RPT?  I checked his vita on the

School of Music website and it stated he was a "craftsman in the Piano

Technicians Guild," but said nothing about being an RPT...and there's

good reason for that since he is not.  He's listed in the 2006 directory

as an Associate.  That may be why the job description does not mention

RPT status.  Here the faculty is aware of my RPT status and it garners

some respect for me.  Even if CAUT members were certified at a higher

level of competency than an RPT, who would know what that meant without

a huge amount of education on the part of PTG and CAUT?  It would be the

same as we now find with RPT.  I don't think we need more initials after

more intensive exams, we need more education about the present

designation.  We keep wanting to fix something that "aint broke."

 

Joy!

Elwood 

 

Perfectly stated Elwood.  Further, I seriously doubt any more letters
after our name will help with compensation.  As long as we are willing
to keep further certifying ourselves for  the same money, the
expectations keep growing and the money doesn't change.  It's a market
thing.  If CAUT salaries were better, better qualified techs would be
crawling out of the woodwork for these jobs.  But better skilled techs
with established businesses who would leave what they have for a CAUT
position need their heads examined.

 

Another part of the problem is that PTG doesn't recognize other paths
which are completely credible and it hurts our credibility.  Let's say a
Steinway C&A tech wanted to get out of NY and go to some college for a
change of pace.  Now, an All-Steinway School faculty would consider such
a person a perfect match for their inventory.  But if he ain't in the
PTG, we have no vehicle of recognition of his skills and abilities.

 

RPT becomes self-serving and its merits hold little water.  I think not
everybody is sold on PTG and the RPT, and that's ok.  We aren't the
government.  We can't require anyone to hold any license or
certification.  All we can do is endorse those who've taken our exams.

 

On Oct 9, 2007, at 3:01 AM, Richard Brekne wrote:

	As too the salary.  I admit it looks on the surface lower then
it should.  But one should not forget the value of paid medical and
dental insurances, along with the usual reductions in tuition for family
members such jobs usually offer.  These are not specified in the note
posted... but then that wasnt a readout of the job listing perhaps.

	 

	There might be one objection that one could raise about paid
medical insurances I suppose.  Insurance companies in America seem to be
so capable of finding clever ways of renigging on there coverage deals
that many of us out in countries like Canada and some European companies
wonder at the continued support for the so called private health system
over there.... 

 

It just happens that in this case, Michigan is one of the states that
does pay the entire cost of employee benefits and provides very good
tuition package as well.  Or it did at least up until a year or so ago,
which was the last time I looked it up.  But the salary is also lower to
compensate for it.  Other states which require employee contribution to
the benefits TEND to have higher salaries, but that isn't always the
case.  Each state has its own benefits formula and each one is different
from the other.  What is not approximately equal from state to state is
the cost of living, and that doesn't seem to be reflected in piano
technicians salaries very often.

 

Either way, you can probably cover the cost of similar benefits better
as a self-employed tech.  Self-employed and business owners get much
better tax advantages than employees.

 

Bottom line, there needs to be some education.  I'm convinced the
perception of our craft is that we are glorified hobbyists.  Almost
every day when someone asks what I do, their response is "you mean
there's that much work over there to keep you busy?", and my stock
answer is "more than enough for three of me."  And I don't know that the
people in this building aren't just as amazed that there is that much
work involved here as the country farmer I just had that conversation
with earlier today.  And, you also have to consider that the other
people who make up music faculties don't see their work as an
occupation.  It is a calling for them, at whatever salary, and I think
they expect the same of us.

 

We can pick apart every one of these job offers.  The reason they are
what they are is because of those of us who hold positions around the
country.  We have to be willing to make life uncomfortable if we are
going to get salaries improved.  Unfortunately for some, we're seeing
improvement only when a retiring tech petitions for a better salary for
the next hire.  But it is a market driven thing.  And we have to look at
it that way.  There really aren't that many of us out there, and rather
than taking what's offered, we ought to be the ones in the driver's
seat, not the schools.  It's our fault guys.

 

Jeff

 

 

Jeff Tanner, RPT

University of South Carolina

 





 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/caut.php/attachments/20071009/38cdf130/attachment-0001.html