This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Hi All, Unfortunately we are not living in a perfect world. The bottom line of = the PTG, like most other organizations, is funding, and our funding = comes from member dues, so any attempt to reduce the ranks or make it = more difficult for people to join will be met with silence. The current = direction the PTG seems to be taking is a drive for new members, as seen = in a letter to Chapter Presidents last year I believe it was, we were to = beat the bushes trying to get non-member techs to join. I would LOVE to = think the purpose is to bring them into the fold, test them and make = sure everyone working on pianos out there meets a basic minimum of = skills, alas I suspect the new member drive was to increase funding, = quantity not quality. We, the PTG, are now concerned with the ratio of RPT's to Associates... = when you bring new members in what else can be expected? What to do? How = do we get Associates that work on Pianos to "upgrade"?, and I quote = upgrade because the exams would not upgrade everyone's skills but = upgrade their status in PTG, from Associate to RPT. What incentives can = PTG offer to make RPT attractive? Make the exams easier? Hardly, and not = if I have a say in it, the exams are easy enough and fair to someone who = knows what they are doing, and that is the point, to get everyone on a = base level playing field. Many who take the exams breeze through them, = others who have been in the business 10 or even more years have a tough = time, but everyone learns something! Any incentives the PTG can offer to make RPT more attractive will cost = money and we're back at the beginning again, bring in new members or = raise dues. Personally I have no idea what the budgets look like or if = it would help if the PTG advertise heavily to promote the Guild and it's = members. I don't have a solution that would not cost a ton of money. To those leaving the Guild or thinking about it, please reconsider. If = all the members with clever ideas and business savvy walk away the Guild = will fold for sure, we need everyone and your ideas, think them through = and write to your Regional Vice Pres to have your and your Chapter's = ideas voiced at the board meetings, you could be one of the people = making these decisions someday, just keep in mind that most every idea = costs money and we all know where it comes from. So there is no misunderstanding of my post, I would like to see every = Technician actively working on pianos in a customers home or school be = an RPT, the idea being we become a professional organization, dress and = act like professionals and CHARGE ACCORDINGLY. All new members with = in-home,school type service intentions would be Associates or whatever = title and be on a fast track to RPT with time limits on testing, I.E.: = you have 6 months to take the written, a year or so after that for the = Technical etc. All other members, rebuilders and so on would have their = own title. Please don't sit around and complain, get involved in your Chapters, = get on a first name basis with your Regional VP and make your wishes = known and vote! All of us that are members ARE the PTG and we can make = changes to OUR organization. Any confusion or doubt about the intent of my note please call or write = directly!=20 Thanks! Ever Onward =20 I'm clicking "send" now and hope I don't regret it in the morning Mike McCoy RPT Northeast Rep, Technical Exam Sub-Committee So Central Pa Chapter 170 & SEPA 190 PTG Langhorne, Pa Mailto:mjmccoyrpt@earthlink.net ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Denele Campbell=20 To: ptg-l@ptg.org=20 Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 6:27 PM Subject: Re: One Happy Family Last time I wrote, there was a great silence for over two months. In = that message, I made the modest proposal that Guild membership be = limited to those who pass all tests. In other words, to be a member of = the Guild, you have to be an RPT.=20 Along with this conversation stopper, I suggested that an affiliate = organization -- call it whatever -- would provide all the education, = testing, and other services now supporting those called Associates. Details would flow from this fundamental structural definition, such = as those who just rebuild, or who teaches the associates, and who votes = in chapter meetings, etc etc etc. This would return some value and meaning to Guild membership and would = give an unambiguous message in our advertising -- hire a Guild member, = and you get a technician who has been tested to show minimum levels of = proficiency in piano care. Otherwise, I don't see any future for the = Guild and may find myself following in Walter's -- and many others' -- = footsteps.=20 Denele Campbell, RPT NWArk=20 ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Wimblees@aol.com=20 To: ptg-l@ptg.org=20 Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 8:41 AM Subject: Re: One Happy Family In a message dated 5/2/01 12:42:13 AM Central Daylight Time,=20 dean8gem@1stnetusa.com writes:=20 Back to the original problem of dissension. Would the substitution = of=20 convention classes for exams change the dynamic? Yes, but not = because=20 of the elimination of testing per se; applicants would not be = admitted=20 to membership until after the completion of the minimum standards=20 curriculum. In other words, there would be only one class, one = happy=20 family. We could, of course, create a single class membership = through=20 examination, but is would certainly be a small one.=20 Dean Boesen, RPT=20 Dean=20 Your idea is not new. I have been touting PTG for RPT's for over = 10 years.=20 Realizing that will be a very hard nut to swallow for the = membership, I am=20 now trying to convince the general membership that passing the = written exam=20 at 50% should be the minimum requirement for membership in the = PTG. We can=20 still have two classes of membership, but mostly for internal use = only. The=20 general public would only know that a member of the PTG has some = basic=20 knowledge of piano work. Every member would have the same voting = rights and=20 be counted as a full member of the PTG. Perhaps we could limit the = executive Board to RPT's. But being and RPT doesn't necessarily = mean a=20 member has political savvy. The only committee where one must be = an RPT=20 would be the examinations committee.=20 Your idea is great. Pass it along.=20 Willem ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/40/35/43/f0/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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