Klarinet Archive - Posting 000067.txt from 2008/11

From: "thomaswinds" <thomaswinds@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] After Drucker
Date: Sat, 08 Nov 2008 22:55:09 -0500

One major reason orchestras do not reaudition players every 15 years is
because if they did, no player would ever be able to make money playing for
a living. All the orchestras would do is hire kids and pay them base
salary, they would pretty much all be temps. The AFM recognizes this, and
thank Heaven it's still one of the strongest unions in the country.

Don't believe me? It's already happened, it's what schools do now.
Teachers unions are getting weaker and weaker. New grads have all the
advantages, and older, more experienced teachers aren't hired because the
schools would have to pay them more. It's taking longer to get tenure,
too.

That mindset has also trickled up into higher ed. Colleges don't hire near
as many profs full time, they eliminate jobs in order to hire more
part-timers, and get rid of the tenured positions the second they get the
chance. If they can't get rid of them, they stall. It saves them paying
benefits, etc. West Chester took 6-8 years filling the sax position after
Hegvik retired, and they are pussyfooting around with the trumpet position
now (among others).

Say you could get one of these orchestral jobs and hold it for 5,10,15
years, then what do you do after that? Here's your answer - Nothing....Too
much experience, and you aren't hirable. You'd make too much on the salary
scale. You are Sheet Outta Luck, bud. Your fate: open a studio and teach
a bunch of kids who don't practice, or get a grunt job at the WalMart.

You need to learn more about unions, sonny, and pay your dues, first....
(she says, taking out her teeth.... ;) And then start saying Thank You to
all the old farts who came before you, who made the orchestral jobs into
something respectable.

Lynn

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