Alilied Tradesman

[Robin Blankenship]

Just a guess, but perhaps part of the dynamics in all of this is simply that 
our technology and our business world continue to evolve and mature. I've 
noticed a sharp turn in the quality and tone of much of the posting done 
here over the past eight years or so. There is a lot more rebuilding 
oriented discussion and a finer level of detail and tech development 
expressed. We think of pianos and piano related work as being a venerable 
and almost ancient trade and craft. But, the modern tools available in the 
form of the Guild and this list are serving to renew and regrow the field.

The PTG is having to continually reinvent itself and its mission to reflect 
the needs and the tools that are currently in use. So, it is not surprise 
that such issues as categories of membership come up for review over and 
over.

It's part of progress!!!

Robin Blankenship
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ric Brekne" <ricbrek at broadpark.no>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2006 11:45 AM
Subject: Alilied Tradesman


>I think the main thrust of the problem is that the PTG has never been able 
>to really resolve its role.  On the one hand it wishes to be an 
>organization of proffesional piano tuner/technicians with the accent on 
>"tuner".  The PTG  can seemingly easily accept the idea of a tuner with 
>limited technicians abilities... but a tech with out the ability to 
>tune.... well  that just doesnt quite fit if you get my meaning.
> On the other hand... the PTG DOES want to be inclusive and sees the value 
> and neccessities in including both allied proffesionals and folks who are 
> more or less apprentices or students of the trade.
>
> The problem is and probably will remain that the PTG has no possibility of 
> being a trade union per se.  At best, given the fact that it is not a 
> regulated industry, it can function as an association of proffesionals and 
> amatures... i.e. people interested in the trade.  As long as that fact 
> remains, the PTG's hands are somewhat ties with respect to the degree it 
> can certify technicians.  And as long as that is the case associates can 
> often rightly claim the RPT status is not worth the paper its written on 
> so why bother.  That of course is breeding grounds for passionate 
> positioning for all involved.  The PTG wants to project its self to the 
> public as an organization that can provide a stamp of quality.... yet it 
> is forced to accept a somewhat different reality.  How to resolve the 
> inbuilt conflicting interests is evidently no easy task. The latest 
> attempt seems to be to allow only RPT's to use the PTG logo as part of 
> their advertising.  Associates dont appreciate this ... and its pretty 
> hard to enforce anyways....
>
> For my part....  I just encourage folks to keep learning... seems to be 
> the best you can do.  And indeed... the very very best of the PTG IMVHO 
> goes along those same lines and is expressed by the many seminars and 
> conventions held each year.
>
> Cheers
> RicB
>
>
>