[CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?

[reggaepass at aol.com]

Yo.

Alan Eder


-----Original Message-----
From: David Ilvedson <ilvey at sbcglobal.net>
To: caut at ptg.org
Sent: Tue, Nov 13  11:48 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?


     Another question, how many CAUT's work outside of the university in 
addition to their positions?  

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA 94044



        Original message
From: "Ed Sutton"
          
To: "College and University Technicians"
          
Received: 11/13/2007 10:00:32 AM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?


        Jeff-
         
         What is the point of your thread?  Do you think we're not aware 
of the conditions you describe?
        Do you think we should not bother to try to improve things?
         Things were pretty messed up when the Guild was organized.  Do 
you think it was worth the bother of keeping up the Guild for the last 
50 years?
         And how about this RPT exam so many people have worked to 
develop and maintain?  Just another waste of time?
         Are you saying the effort to create a CAUT standard, and 
curriculum should be cancelled?
         Do you mind if the people interested in developing the concept 
dedicate some of their lifetime to it?
         
        Ed Sutton

          ----- Original Message -----
          From: Jeff Tanner
          To: College and University Technicians
          Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 12:11 PM
          Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?





                On Nov 13, 2007, at 9:18 AM, Jon Page wrote:

                    Bottom line for Universities is that they will pay
                     more only if they feel they are getting enough 
return.


                    I see that I missed a perfectly good opportunity
                     to stay out of this discussion but where some 
positions
                     don't even require RPT status what good are merit 
badges?


                     Raise the bar on RPT for your desired recognition. 
In this
                     association, RPT should be reclassified to 
Apprentice status
                     and after the 'tests' a Journeyman, with Craftsman 
as the
                     next step to Master Craftsman. (bring back Allied 
Tradesman).
                     If the term RPT had real teeth to it there wouldn't 
be a need to
                    even have this discussion.


                     It doesn't matter how many clinics or seminars you 
attend,
                     if there is no budget for salary increase those 
certificates are
                     simply wallpaper.  If the organizations thought 
your services
                     were worth more, they'd offer more. But then if no 
one would
                     accept the positions, a larger salary would be put 
on the table.
                    Supply and demand economics.


                     Any job opportunity has some sort of coping skills 
attached.
                     Time management and schmoozing are not marketable 
items
                    for a labor-oriented trade.


                    Speaking of time management...
                    I better pound some bridge pins in...
                       
                    --


Regards,

Jon Page




             Unfortunately, Jon is absolutely correct.  We are paid what 
we are paid already because that is what human resources departments 
are finding the market to be.  That market value comes with the 
assumption that we are already supposed to be equipped with the large 
palate of skills we are trying to identify with an endorsement.

               As long as qualified piano technicians are willing to 
accept the current pay levels, that is all we will be worth.  And what 
is happening out there is that there are very qualified individuals who 
are accepting lower salaries because they are in unique positions of 
being able to live on lower incomes.  If we were to equate what is 
happening out there, it would be like one RPT charging half or less for 
tuning prices than everybody else, just because he or she doesn't 
require as much money to live on.

               It is free market economics.  But salaries are what they 
are because CAUTs are too willing to lowball their worth.  It has 
nothing to do with qualifications or certifications or the lack 
thereof, and it has nothing to do with how good a concert technician we 
are.

               Guilty as charged.  I made the mistake of taking a lower 
salary during the first year until my skills had been evaluated with 
promises of salary improvement if everyone liked my work.  Nine years 
later, we are finally starting to get the the salary to where it should 
have started.  That's my fault.  I honestly didn't know any better at 
the time.  But that salary improvement is not coming about because in 
the meantime I became an RPT.  It isn't coming about because everyone 
likes my work.  That was established in year one.  It is coming about 
because I am threatening to leave because the university job is keeping 
me from being able to properly provide for my family.  The amount of 
moonlighting I'm having to do to compensate is compromising the quality 
of my work at the school, and I have made no secret of that.  So far, 
that is all that has worked.  Flashing my RPT certificate didn't do a 
darned thing.  Getting rave reviews from visiting artists and comments 
along the lines of "I'd fly him to Oklahoma to work on my pianos," or 
"your pianos are better than at Eastman" had nothing to do with it. 
 They don't want to lose me because of the quality of work I've shown. 
 But I've had to be a real pain in the behind around here to get 
raises.  But at the same time there will be a brick wall in the 
process.  At some point, the dean is going to say, "no, I can get 
another technician for less than that."  

               Because he's probably right.  Somebody else will be 
willing to come in here and sign up to work for half of what they're 
worth.

              Jeff










              Jeff Tanner, RPT
              University of South Carolina









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