<html> <body> Tom, I realize we're talking about two different things here and I agree with you up to a point! \\\\ I do a lot of concert work and if I'm REQUIRED to "stand by", I'm going to charge them for it. If they don't like it, find someone else! JMNSHO! :-) Avery At 06:00 PM 2/24/2006, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""> In a message dated 2/24/2006 4:26:06 P.M. Central Standard Time, tubist@swbell.net writes: <dl> <dd>Here's the question: is it reasonable to charge something for the two hours <dd>of downtime? </dl>No.    Change the schedule to work better for you, or accept the limitations put on you.  Or simply don't take the job.  But to charge a school system (or anybody, for that matter) for doing nothing...just doesn't seem right to me.  Personally, I would never do it.  Nothing is ever perfect.  Not everything works out to your advantage.  That's life.   Next year who knows what the schedule will be?  Maybe next year you can tune them all right in a row.  But I can guarantee you if you charge them for the downtime this year, you'll never find out:  it will be somebody else tuning their pianos.    Tom Sivak Chicago</blockquote></body> </html>