Fw: One Happy Family

[Mike McCoy]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

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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
=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



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