Ranting and Raving - You've Been Warned!
If you are a person who feels uncomfortable with strong opinions being expressed, SKIP THIS BLOG POST!
You have been warned...
Wah, wah, wah. It's time for the naysayers to start whining about money again. I've been reading comments from the Facebook group, Music Therapists Unite, about how much money conference costs for NON-MEMBERS of AMTA! We were started off by a person who seems to make it his personal job to take down the association anyway possible, and the conversation has just escalated into a frenzy of "It's unfair." "I don't get paid enough." "RNs just laugh at us." "Wah, wah, wah!!!"
Okay, there are some facts being bandied about out there. We don't always get paid what our other colleagues get paid to work in the same facilities. I personally think that this is an indication of our level of education and desperation as a general profession. The argument against Master's-level entry is that we don't get paid enough now, so we won't be able to get better salaries when we have to get Master's, but... we will never get more money for salaries until we can prove that we deserve it! No employer is going to pay a Bachelor's level music therapist the same salary as a physical therapist with a doctorate (the requirement now for PTs to ENTER their fields as clinicians!). They just are not!
It can be a huge chunk of change to be a member of AMTA, but our dues are not out of line when compared to those of other associations out there.
Professional Dues for some of our fellow therapies: American Occupational Therapy Association - $230; American Physical Therapy Association - $295; American Speech-Language-Hearing Association - $225. ASHA conference fees - member - $385-$495; non-member - $775-$915; APTA conference rates - member - $380-$530; non-member - $540-$750; AOTA conference rates - no costs on the website.
I can hear the arguments now, "But THOSE people get paid SO much more than we do!" Not always, but sometimes. The difference is that we, as music therapists, are often not as qualified, are not strong negotiators when it comes to salary, and will often just take a job because it's a job which reinforces employers who do not want to pay more than they have to to get our services. We have to remember that employers are always thinking about the almighty buck and will look to get more for less every chance they can. Can you blame them? I want to get more for me for less as well!
I am sorry that there are people out there who feel that being a member of their professional association is an option rather than a requirement. They wonder what has AMTA done for them lately and do not have a clue about what goes on in the average day of an AMTA office employee. I don't either, but I know that there are legislative issues that come up, there are discussions with other associations about reimbursement, about health care standards, about state recognition, and about things that help me keep my job. I also know that people at National Office drop everything when I call with a problem. They help me, even if there are other things that they need to be doing.
For me, membership is never an accessory.
Even years like these years, when money is tight due to my medical bills and lack of pay raise (gotta love working for a school district these days! - that's a whole OTHER rant!!), AMTA membership is not an option. Meat is.
What does that mean? Well, I will eat macaroni and cheese rather than meat so I can afford my membership dues.
Without being an AMTA member, I would not be able to be an internship director. Without being an AMTA member, I would not be able to attend conference at a lower rate. Without being an AMTA member, I wouldn't have the direct attention of folks at the National Office, but I would still get that attention.
That's what our association does. It cares about music therapists - members and non-members alike.
Most of what I want to say about this particular topic is, "Quit your gritchin'!" You know, if you decide that being a member of your professional association is not important to you, great. Don't pay your dues. You then forfeit the opportunity to complain about things that go on within the association. If you are not within the system, you have no right to complain about what goes on within the system. If you are within that system, you are then tasked with working on the problem from the inside, seeking to understand the entire implications of the problem.
I'm going to put a bit of money aside every month for my dues and for my commitment to attending the AMTA National Conference.
I will continue to be a member of AMTA. That is non-negotiable for me as a professional and as a music therapist. It is too important to be trivialized.
Rant done for the moment...
You have been warned...
Wah, wah, wah. It's time for the naysayers to start whining about money again. I've been reading comments from the Facebook group, Music Therapists Unite, about how much money conference costs for NON-MEMBERS of AMTA! We were started off by a person who seems to make it his personal job to take down the association anyway possible, and the conversation has just escalated into a frenzy of "It's unfair." "I don't get paid enough." "RNs just laugh at us." "Wah, wah, wah!!!"
Okay, there are some facts being bandied about out there. We don't always get paid what our other colleagues get paid to work in the same facilities. I personally think that this is an indication of our level of education and desperation as a general profession. The argument against Master's-level entry is that we don't get paid enough now, so we won't be able to get better salaries when we have to get Master's, but... we will never get more money for salaries until we can prove that we deserve it! No employer is going to pay a Bachelor's level music therapist the same salary as a physical therapist with a doctorate (the requirement now for PTs to ENTER their fields as clinicians!). They just are not!
It can be a huge chunk of change to be a member of AMTA, but our dues are not out of line when compared to those of other associations out there.
Professional Dues for some of our fellow therapies: American Occupational Therapy Association - $230; American Physical Therapy Association - $295; American Speech-Language-Hearing Association - $225. ASHA conference fees - member - $385-$495; non-member - $775-$915; APTA conference rates - member - $380-$530; non-member - $540-$750; AOTA conference rates - no costs on the website.
I can hear the arguments now, "But THOSE people get paid SO much more than we do!" Not always, but sometimes. The difference is that we, as music therapists, are often not as qualified, are not strong negotiators when it comes to salary, and will often just take a job because it's a job which reinforces employers who do not want to pay more than they have to to get our services. We have to remember that employers are always thinking about the almighty buck and will look to get more for less every chance they can. Can you blame them? I want to get more for me for less as well!
I am sorry that there are people out there who feel that being a member of their professional association is an option rather than a requirement. They wonder what has AMTA done for them lately and do not have a clue about what goes on in the average day of an AMTA office employee. I don't either, but I know that there are legislative issues that come up, there are discussions with other associations about reimbursement, about health care standards, about state recognition, and about things that help me keep my job. I also know that people at National Office drop everything when I call with a problem. They help me, even if there are other things that they need to be doing.
For me, membership is never an accessory.
Even years like these years, when money is tight due to my medical bills and lack of pay raise (gotta love working for a school district these days! - that's a whole OTHER rant!!), AMTA membership is not an option. Meat is.
What does that mean? Well, I will eat macaroni and cheese rather than meat so I can afford my membership dues.
Without being an AMTA member, I would not be able to be an internship director. Without being an AMTA member, I would not be able to attend conference at a lower rate. Without being an AMTA member, I wouldn't have the direct attention of folks at the National Office, but I would still get that attention.
That's what our association does. It cares about music therapists - members and non-members alike.
Most of what I want to say about this particular topic is, "Quit your gritchin'!" You know, if you decide that being a member of your professional association is not important to you, great. Don't pay your dues. You then forfeit the opportunity to complain about things that go on within the association. If you are not within the system, you have no right to complain about what goes on within the system. If you are within that system, you are then tasked with working on the problem from the inside, seeking to understand the entire implications of the problem.
I'm going to put a bit of money aside every month for my dues and for my commitment to attending the AMTA National Conference.
I will continue to be a member of AMTA. That is non-negotiable for me as a professional and as a music therapist. It is too important to be trivialized.
Rant done for the moment...
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