Willem, you wrote: "I don't know of any published reports, but I think the primary difference is based on discrimination. The US is so concerend about treating everyone as equally as possible, (please lets not get into any political argueing here), that we look at somones ability, not the of hours he/she works at a job, to determine how good he/she is. Again, as I mentioned, what difference does it make how much time you spend working at a job? You can either do it, or you can't. There are many full time tuners in the US who couldn't pass our PTG exams, yet some of our best tuners, those who give exams and teach classes are part timers. These part timers use piano tuning as a sideline to suppliment other carreers, or as in your case, to make ends meet. I would suspect that the reason the full timers belonging to the PTA are reluctant to allow partimers in their organization is one of jealousy, or a need to protect their own little corner of the world. This thinking is, unfortunately, very close minded, and could, in the long run, be the demise of the organization. Very few tuners start in the business as full time. And without a means to futher ones education by attending seminars, so that one could become full time, where are the future full time tuners in the UK going to come from? And how can a non member learn how to perform certain proceedures the way they want them done, so that they can pass the exmas to join, if they close their seminars only to their own members." Willem, I couldn't agree more! Back soon with approving noises about some of the comments others of you have made. David Boyce David@bouncer.force9.net
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