<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML xmlns:st1 = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi all</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As the remaining technician at MSU, I = thought I'd respond to some issues raised in recent posts on the subject of the open = position here. First, I enjoyed meeting Brad Smith, and would have found = him a congenial and skilled colleague, had things worked out.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I am really in no position to get to = the bottom of who gave Brad the higher wage figure that he cites as cause for his disappointment on arriving here. I think it unlikely that anyone = intentionally pulled a bait-and-switch operation, but I do know that there are people = who think they know or remember what the pay range is, who perhaps don't = realize the seriousness of a misstatement on the subject. Given the sprawling web of = authority and resposibility at this or any institution, getting the last = word requires some research. Here at MSU, the most reliable sources for pay = and benefit information would be MSU Human Resources  ( <A href="http://www.msu.edu">www.msu.edu</A> ) and the = Clerical-Technical Union (CTU)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>          &nbs= p; 3498 <st1:place>E. Lake</st1:place> Lansing, <st1:address><st1:Street>Suite</st1:Street> 100</st1:address></DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt = 0.5in"><st1:place><st1:City>East Lansing</st1:City>, <st1:State>Michigan</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode>48823</st1:PostalCode></st1:place></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in">Telephone:<SPAN = style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>355-1903</P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in">Fax:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>353-3284</P> <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><A href="http://www.msu.edu/user/ctumsu">www.msu.edu/user/ctumsu</A></DIV>= <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The position = advertised is a CTU level 12, and is one of two co-equal, full-time Piano Technician = spots. I believe the MSU School of Music has the option of hiring a new = technician at either end of the level 12 pay scale, depending on the particular = person's qualifications, etc.</P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Both technicians = report to the Chair of the piano faculty, and are responsible for whatever needs = doing. In practice, we two techs divide the work (on about 190 pianos) between = ourselves as we see fit, and meet once per week with Prof. Deborah Moriarty who = may, but usually does not offer direction on anything other than overall = strategy.</P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I  believe Jeff = Tanner's recent post gives a reasonable approximation of the benefits package = here. Also to be mentioned are sick leave accruing at the rate of 1 day per month, = vacation accruing initially at 1 day per month, and after ten years peaking at 2 = days per month, plus FMLA leave, 3 days per year of personal leave, etc. The = figure I've heard most bandied about is that the total benifits package is worth 36% = of base pay. (Be skeptical & check for yourself.)</P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The people here are = appreciative, and Prof. Moriarty has been good about granting unpaid leave at times = for techs to do higher profile private work, such as recording sessions or even = tours with ensembles. There is a good market here for tuning and rebuilding if one = cares to moonlight. Also, we do a fair amount of rebuilding of the school's = pianos on site, which helps keep the creative juices flowing on the job and gives = relief from tuning.</P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">If any of you or your = friends are at all interested in the position, I can talk to you informally and = perhaps answer some of your questions. I can be reached at 517 230-6278 = (cell).</P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Bill Schneider</P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in = 0pt"> </P></FONT></BODY></HTML>