<HTML>In a message dated 3/14/02 10:25:07 AM Central Standard Time, jtanner@mozart.music.sc.edu writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Another issue is that many CAUTs accept positions for lower pay just for the benefits, </BLOCKQUOTE> Just as there are tuners out there who tune for $50 per, when most of us are in the $75- 90 range, there are going to be techs out there who will take a CAUT job for $25,000, even with benefits, with the idea of working extra. This is not helping our situation. But even at $80 per tuning, there are techs out there who can't seem to make ends meet. What Randy teaches in his class on how to make $80K, is that there is more money in a piano than just an $80 tuning.   I believe our focus should be on quality and qualifications, rather than the actual salary. Administrators need to be educated that a person with 25 years experience, but without a "degree" namely being an RPT, or at least actively attending seminars and institutes, isn't any better than a someone who graduated from Med school 25 years ago, and never continued his/her education. Or to put it more in the terms administrators can understand, for the university to consider hiring a high school football coach who has had nothing but mediocre teams for 25 years, to be the head coach of the university. One way we can educate the administrators is to contact the schools that have openings, and discussing the salary needs of the tech. Sometimes administrators have no clue, but if they were told, they might change their mind. And when we do talk to them, also let them know about qualifications and the PTG. Just my opinion. Wim </HTML>