Hi List Have been following this thread with some interest. Price fixing, Taxes, Travelling costs etc. On July 1st. a 10% GST is being implimented in Australia. This means that we now have to put 10% on top of all our prices. Parts & Labour. The saving factor for some customers is that they are then not paying 22.5% sales tax on the parts. The bummer is that most of the time it is just tuning, regulating & voicing that is done on most pianos that attracts the 10% GST. Last year I increased my tuning price from AUD$90 to AUD$95. Now because of GST I guess I will drop it back to $90.91 thus + 10% GST = $100. This is what our government is advising as to do. If we just add the GST to $95 = $the bill is $104.50. Over the magic $100 mark. Price fixing. Am not the only piano tuner in the Northern Territory, but almost. So I haven't got a problem there. But, I hear that in Sydney NSW, Tuning prices are discussed openly at the Guild meetings and that minimum prices are set. Wether or not this is true I do not know, maybe Mark Bolsius or Ron Overs can enlighten us on that point. However, Unions are designed to protect the workers against low wages thus minimum hourly rates or weekly wages are enforced. Guilds are designed in part to do the same for their members. Possibly setting a minimum tuning rate for members is not price fixing if that price is say 5% below the national average. Then an area charge is added to cover the local areas conditions. eg $95 in local area. $110 in outer area. $125 if overnight accomodation is required. Just a thought Tony Caught IC PTG Australia caute@accessnt.com.au
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