Paid for Pitch Raises?

[Avery]

Hi Norma,

I don't have a problem with that at all. I worked 
at a dealership for free for over a year, gaining 
experience. The dealer was a tuner and he also 
had one working for him. One day, he decided I was worth paying! :-)

But I was responding to the "dealers" who try to 
take advantage of you just because you're new. I 
do some work now for a dealer who's not like 
that! He wants his instruments (especially the 
grands) to be in good shape! I don't charge him a 
WHOLE lot, but I do charge him! Besides, he 
usually takes me to lunch, pays the motel bill 
and gives be money over what my bill is. I 
consider myself lucky to do work for a dealer like that!

Avery Todd
University of Houston

At 08:06 PM 2/12/2007, you wrote:
>Hi David,  Avery,
>
>With all due respect, I think it's a little 
>different for those of us who have been in the 
>business only a few years.  We're trying to 
>build clientele and gain experience.  I have 
>done many pitch raises and other work for less 
>money than I should have received, but in return 
>I gain clients, knowledge and the opportunity to 
>polish my skills.  I will never let myself be 
>taken advantage of but being demanding as a 
>rookie, either with dealers or clients will get you no where.
>
>Doing the odd thing for free is really not so 
>bad when you look at it in this light,  and not 
>all dealers are pond scum.....they're just 
>people too.  "It's a give and take 
>world"......"You reap what you sow"....Clichés 
>perhaps, but true none the less.  I just happen 
>to be in the giving and sewing mode at the 
>moment,  the taking and reaping will come later.
>
>Best regards,
>
>Norma Neufeld
>Saskatoon, SK
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <mailto:avery1 at houston.rr.com>Avery
>To: <mailto:pianotech at ptg.org>Pianotech List
>Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 3:06 PM
>Subject: Re: Paid for Pitch Raises?
>
>David,
>
>I totally agree!
>
>Avery Todd
>
>At 12:12 PM 2/12/2007, you wrote:
>>Daniel---please don't take this personally, 
>>brother, but you've triggered off a rant.
>>What the HELL are you people doing----working 
>>without getting paid? That's insane.
>>You really need to check your approach to life, 
>>IMO, if you submit to this kind of bullshit.
>>Raising the pitch on a piano takes 
>>WORK---intense work, between 20 and 40 minutes, 
>>if done right. To not get paid for that, or to 
>>work for people who don't intend to pay you for 
>>that, is dysfunctional. Period. What are you 
>>thinking about? Would you ever ask any other 
>>kind of service tech to come to your house or 
>>business and work for 20-40 minutes FOR FREE?
>>Never. NEVER.
>>
>>Wake up. WAKE UP. You need to start valuing 
>>your time, your life, and your skills.
>>Stand up for yourself, and tell that a**h**le 
>>who owns that  store to sell you a piano for his cost.
>>See what he says. Wake up.
>>
>>Until we demand respect and acknowledgement for 
>>our immense knowledge and skillset we'll be 
>>treated like field hands, or dismissable 
>>underlings, or naive idiots, or pathetic losers.
>>
>>There. I feel better now.
>>
>>David Andersen
>>
>>
>>
>>
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