<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
        {font-family:SimSun;
        panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1;}
@font-face
        {font-family:SimSun;
        panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1;}
@font-face
        {font-family:Calibri;
        panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
        {font-family:Tahoma;
        panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
        {font-family:Verdana;
        panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
        {font-family:"\@SimSun";
        panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
        {margin:0in;
        margin-bottom:.0001pt;
        font-size:12.0pt;
        font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
        {mso-style-priority:99;
        color:blue;
        text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
        {mso-style-priority:99;
        color:purple;
        text-decoration:underline;}
p
        {mso-style-priority:99;
        mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
        margin-right:0in;
        mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
        margin-left:0in;
        font-size:12.0pt;
        font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.EmailStyle18
        {mso-style-type:personal;
        font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
        color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle19
        {mso-style-type:personal-reply;
        font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
        color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
        {mso-style-type:export-only;
        font-size:10.0pt;}
@page Section1
        {size:8.5in 11.0in;
        margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.Section1
        {page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>List,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Oops! Ok. So now you all know what I make. Don’t tell
anyone, ok?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>No harm done. Anyone can comment if you want.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Jim<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Jim
Busby<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, September 08, 2008 1:20 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> College and University Technicians<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [CAUT] Reasonable job descriptions<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Paul,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I’m posting this to you privately because I don’t
want it in the “public”. I’m currently at $48K but the
benefits package is incredible. They say it’s worth about another 20K. still
it’s not enough for me to live on due to some stupid debt I have.
Essentially, I have to earn about 1K a month more to maintain my life style
(which is modest!) and I still don’t have enough time to do much in the
way of personal/family time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Knowing that, if I were making about 20K more it would be about
where I should be, IMO. We all would like to make more, but this is where I
am…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Now, in your last paragraph you state that we should stand
together. Therein is the problem, as I see it. There are so many technicians
(hacks, most) that would jump in here in a heartbeat that I don’t know
how we can try to push our way around in the least bit! Our profession seems to
be one of about 30% incompetent hacks, about 20% top notch and everyone else somewhere
in the middle. But here is the problem; No one (administration) can tell the
difference!! At least, not with the middle of the road techs. A colleague of
mine goes in an toons the piano and when he<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>S through it’s not top notch. But no one cares! Even some
of the best pianists seem to let things go. It’s not too bad in that I
think it would clearly pass the RPT test (that says something, doesn’t
it?) but it’s a pretty close SAT tuning with some not too wild but out
unisons! And he’s a CTE!!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>My heart sinks when I see what people think are good tunings. It
makes me wonder why I even care sometimes. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Soooo…. What does this have to with the price of rice in
China?? I just wonder how we can stick together when only about 1 in 5 are PTG
members, and about half of them are green or not soing high level work! What is
the key to making a better living here?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I dunno. Sometimes I get frustrated and seeing a post like yours
get’s me hoping and wishing for more, but then my pragmatic evil side
kicks in and I write rants like this.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Best.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Jim<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Paul T
Williams<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Sunday, September 07, 2008 2:15 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> College and University Technicians<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [CAUT] Reasonable job descriptions<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Richard, et.al,</span>
<br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I'm with you.
I'll take the catagory IV at $200K. ;>) (like that'll ever
happen) Kidding aside. If we can stick together on this issue,
and it has to be ALL of us, maybe we can get the average salary for full
time large universities up to 60-70K or 80-90K as that would be far more
in-sinc with the supply/demand curve that is currently warped...-not in our
favor. That higher figure seems to be in line with the
better-than-average college prof who has the same relative education in their
field. Our field is so specialized, it should actually be more $ for us. </span><br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Who can do what
we do?? Architect's are a dime a dozen, and so on. If the pianos don't
work...the university won't work.(school of music speaking) For a good point,
our purcussion professor, who is charge of all the student convos. invitied me
to come in for the meet and greet introduction to the freshmen. I was
able to tell everyone what I do and to keep all the stuff off the pianos.
He continued after my very short rant as to what I REALLY do for nearly
4-5 minutes!! What a wonderful thing this was!! I was not expecting
this at all. He really does appreciate what I do and what the pianos are
worth etc,. He told all that I can build a piano from the ground up (a little
over-emphasized there, of course) Out sourcing is still key to all of us.
Time and space wise. DO IT all all of you!!! It's worth the bucks! </span><br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> It was
interesting to see that our UNL chancellor and president were overwhelmingly
approved for between 15-30% raises when their salaries are between
200-350K/year. Just the raise for the president is nearly what I
make in a year!! And yet they say it's to keep up with other large
universities in the country. Yet, WE all stay at nearly the same, other
than the very pretigious private colleges. I only got a 4% raise for this
coming year. Other than full tuition for their offspring, it still not
enough. It's still less than the football coach who makes a couple
million..THAT'S BIG BUSINESS..AND ANOTHER STORY for another day (we'll never be
a super star) .... I get a few hours of college
credits per year that I can use or a percentage of that I can transfer to my
wife. NO credit building is allowed year to year. That, I don't
understand. I can build up vacation hours up to a VERY large amount
(to a limit, of course), but tuition credits do not build up. My
son is 12 years old. At this measly salary, it will be manditory for him
to get scholarships for him to attend a "regular" university or
superior private school out of state... There is no way I'll be able to cover
my son's tuition.</span> <br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I hope we can
all stand together and make our profession worth more than what it is,
currently. I don't think "they" know what they have!!".
IT SHOULD BE WORTH GOLD!!!!! What we do is getting harder and harder to
find, and if possible, should get to the point that our "offspring"
will enjoy what we deserve. Let's also find more tech students to carry
on our knowledge, otherwise, we'll all go digital!! That would be a
shame....</span> <br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Enough said.</span>
<br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>On to another
week in the grunge!! A 1926 M in the middle of a "rebuild"!
We can't afford a new one!!!!!!</span> <br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Paul.</span> <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%"
style='width:100.0%'>
<tr>
<td width="40%" valign=top style='width:40.0%;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>"rwest1@unl.edu"
<rwest1@unl.edu></span></b><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif"'> </span><br>
<span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Sent by:
caut-bounces@ptg.org</span> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>09/07/2008
11:16 AM</span> <o:p></o:p></p>
<table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellpadding=0>
<tr>
<td valign=top style='background:white;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Please respond to<br>
College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td width="59%" valign=top style='width:59.0%;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%"
style='width:100.0%'>
<tr>
<td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>To</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>College
and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org></span> <o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>cc</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Subject</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Re:
[CAUT] Reasonable job descriptions</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0>
<tr>
<td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td>
<td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>
<br>
<br>
On Sep 6, 2008, at 11:04 AM, Ralph Onesti wrote: <br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>I was hoping you
could help Vincent write a reasonable job description for the new tech as you
are in the trenches and who knows where they are.</span> <br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span>
<br>
I think this would be a great exercise for this group, with the results being
added to the Guidelines for Institutional Maintenance. Or better yet,
the results could lead to a CAUT brochure, "Hiring the Piano
Technician-A Resource for Colleges, Universities, and other Educational
Institutions." <br>
<br>
I don't think that there is a one-size-fits-all description. For example,
the description for a part-time contract position would be different than
for a full-time position in a large, land-grant type university which would be
different than for a full-time position in a conservatory situation. The
many descriptions would let the institution decide which description was
appropriate. Salary ranges should be included as well as descriptions of
the type of person that would apply (see below). <br>
<br>
Having this kind of information available would accomplish several things.
First, although the various descriptions may not be all that different,
expectations should be different, including the pay scale and type of applicant
that the institution could realistically expect. Secondly, it would leave
it up to the institution to determine where it falls in the various types and
pay scales. Expectations would match the self-image of the institution.
Thirdly it would inform institutions what the pay range should be.
I don't think many people outside our group know what full-time
technicians working in the private sector can make. Doing the math for
those involved in hiring would be helpful. Finally, a beginning
technician would be less demanding in salary and benefits, than an experienced
RPT who has been around the block and wants to get paid appropriately.
Institutions need to know that all technicians are not created equal. <br>
<br>
Just to get some discussion going, here are some off-the-top-of-my-head ideas
about types of technicians that could be matched to various descriptions. <br>
<br>
Type of technician <br>
I. Technician, Level I: $12,500 to $25,000, working part time, less
than one year experience, tunes fewer than 5 pianos per week <br>
II. Technician, Level II: $35,000 to $50,000, working full time, three to
five years experience, tunes 15 to 25 pianos per week <br>
III. Technician, Level III: $40,000 to $70,000, full time private or
university, 5 to 10 years experience, tunes 5 to 15 pianos per week, has
regulated and voiced 10 to 20 pianos over several years, regularly schedules
full or partial action regulation <br>
IV. Technician, Level IV: $50,000 to $200,000, full time private or
university/conservatory, 10 to 15 years experience, tunes 5 to 10 pianos per
week, has regulated and voiced pianos in concert venues, is familiar with
restringing, new parts installation, action geometry, hammer selection, key
weight, piano touch, and dealing with the concert artist concerns. <br>
<br>
I would add that I think it's time for CAUT to develop an alternative to the
Guidelines document. It has been helpful, especially to technicians.
But it is, IMHO, too long for most administrators to deal with, and, also
IMHO, the document's underlying message is too self-serving. A
brochure is a better alternative. <br>
<br>
Richard West, retired but still working <br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>