Jeff has very valid points here...Of course it his choice to work where he does and I'm sure he loves his work. It is also his choice to try to improve his working conditions and compensation. Why should he have to leave his home community and family to do so? We are in "show business" here and we often have to do things because "the show must go on", but as Jeff points out it should be the exception rather than the rule. Here at CCM there are around 1,000 performances a year on 6 stages (and more at times) and everybody's performance is "special" to them as it well should be. If we were required to work weekends we would never have a day off! Our predecessors (thanks, Rolf!) worked very hard to establish the no weekend rule and we (and thankfully, our supervisor) rabidly protect this policy against erosion. Like Jeff said, if Horowitz is playing a solo recital here on a Sunday, hey, I'm here...no problem. But if a faculty member decides the only time he/she can schedule their recital is on a Sunday afternoon, they get the Friday tuning. Students are not allowed to schedule recitals on weekends, period. A recent production of a Handel opera required 2(!) harpsichords in the pit. The production was required to contract one of us at standard rates to come in and tune for the weekend performances. This policy also keeps productions from getting too extravagant and induces some "real world" (economic) constraints. There are people here who use the "crisis production" method of trying to get people to do things they would not regularly be required to do. They need to learn that poor planning on their part does not constitute an emergency on our part. A firm policy against weekend work is our protection against such methods. Eric Wolfley, RPT Supervising Piano Technician College-Conservatory of Music University of Cincinnati -----Original Message----- From: Don [mailto:pianotuna@accesscomm.ca] Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 2:44 AM To: College and University Technicians Subject: Re: [CAUT] re: weekend work, was "mind bender" Hi Jeff, It is your choice to work under those conditions. If you dislike it then you can vote with your feet and leave. Or you can choose to enjoy the many benefits your position gives you beyond what those of us in private practice have, such as a pension, medicare benefits, paid holidays, sick leave and etc. At 07:56 AM 22/02/2005 -0500, you wrote: > >On Monday, February 21, 2005, at 04:42 PM, Don wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> We sometimes forget we are artisans rather than artists. >> >> Horowitz preferred 3 p.m. on Sundays for recitals. Would you presume to >> refuse to service his piano? > >If Horowitz showed up on Sunday, that would be a special event. > >> >> I do realize that often University Techs are under paid and over >> worked. > >No, "often" would not be the word you were looking for here. > >> The trade off is a paycheck that is stable and other benefits. However >> in >> "private practice" I have been required to tune pianos at 2 a.m., >> which I >> did quite cheerfully, and as it was a concert hall where I was the >> resident >> tuner, there was no "extra" remuneration involved. >> > >Except that you're not doing the tuning for a take home check of $14. >Then, you have to take your travel cost out of that. I live 16 miles >away. At 37.5 cents a mile that's $12 round trip. So, if I have to >come in on Sunday to do a single tuning, I take home $2.00. > >That's what I'm talking about. >Jeff > > >Jeff Tanner, RPT >School Of Music >University of South Carolina > >_______________________________________________ >caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > >-- >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. >Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.1.0 - Release Date: 18/02/2005 > > Regards, Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.P.T. Non calor sed umor est qui nobis incommodat mailto:pianotuna@accesscomm.ca http://us.geocities.com/drpt1948/ 3004 Grant Rd. REGINA, SK, S4S 5G7 306-352-3620 or 1-888-29t-uner -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.1.0 - Release Date: 18/02/2005 _______________________________________________ caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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