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Hospital wants to cut fees for event.
Good morning all,
I have a dilemma that I wanted to get some advice on. I have been working at an event for the last four years-a three hour chair massage gig, on a Saturday night, at a local sports center-put on by the local hospital for its' employees. After the first two years we got a fee increase to a living wage. Now, the hospital wants to shave $15.00 per hour from each therapist. We get no clients out of this, so it's a once a year job. The hospital has just undergone some belt tightening, however, they do have the $, just trying to grind us down. We are ICs for this-our own equipment, insurance, etc.
I doubt the hospital will budge much on this, so I'm inclined to do it once more and then tell them I'm done. I doubt that in this economy they can find another team of eight MTs to do this, but, they are a big business with a "take it or leave it" attitude.
Anybody got any ideas?
Jody C. Hutchinson, ncmtb
I have a dilemma that I wanted to get some advice on. I have been working at an event for the last four years-a three hour chair massage gig, on a Saturday night, at a local sports center-put on by the local hospital for its' employees. After the first two years we got a fee increase to a living wage. Now, the hospital wants to shave $15.00 per hour from each therapist. We get no clients out of this, so it's a once a year job. The hospital has just undergone some belt tightening, however, they do have the $, just trying to grind us down. We are ICs for this-our own equipment, insurance, etc.
I doubt the hospital will budge much on this, so I'm inclined to do it once more and then tell them I'm done. I doubt that in this economy they can find another team of eight MTs to do this, but, they are a big business with a "take it or leave it" attitude.
Anybody got any ideas?
Jody C. Hutchinson, ncmtb
Views: 119
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Choice Kinchen on
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You have to decide if the new $$$ is good enough for you. Being a once a year job, I might be willing to take the pay cut. If this was a weekly gig, I would definitely tell them I was done. You have to be able to make a living wage. Times are tough, but massage therapist don't need to take the brunt of cuts. I look at jobs like this not as perks anymore but as necessities in the stressed out employee world. These big companies with the "take it or leave it" attitude COULD make cuts elsewhere if they wanted to. Too many times massage therapists don't look at their work as a real business...and therefore take anything they can get at any price. Decide how you feel about going to this job now that you know you are making less. Is there resentment? Disappointment? Don't really want to go but it's a job attitude? If you feel like this, there's your answer. If you're ok with it, then there's your answer. Perhaps you could go to them and explain about your own costs...insurance, equipment, etc. and suggest a compromise....like , say, half the cut...$7.50. Probably won't work, but might be worth a shot. Depends on who you;re talking to. How are the rest of the team thinking?
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Permalink Reply by Lindsay Newman on
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Ugh. The way you present this look pretty black and white, like you're stuck choosing between two very dark grey options. The fact that you've taken the time to write this post indicates to me that you are pretty frustraited and feeling under valued. For me personally, I feel that my intention in setting hands on somebody is directly linked to my self worth and personal integrity. I refuse to come to my client with a "this is my job, and I'll do it because I'm getting paid SOMETHING" (grumble grumble) attitude. If you want to work with these people because they deserve your educated loving touch and you can do it with an inner smile, go for it. It sounds like you aren't getting enough out of this deal though, and need to stand up for your own worth. Can you make the pie bigger? or bring in another flavour? What about asking the clients you would be seeing for a by donation to a local health charity or something like that? If the planning board is cutting down your worth in $$, you need to find a way of maintaining your worth!
Hope this jumble of thoughts helps and wishing you the best! -
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Permalink Reply by Angellynnn on
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I think you're right on track, Jody. Let them know this will be your last month. Spend your energy elsewhere especially if you are not getting any clients out of it.
~Angellynnn -
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Permalink Reply by Darcy Neibaur on
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Persoanlly I like giving back from time to time. I do a 5 hour event once a year for the Councuil on Aging Employee and Volunteer Day. I have been doing this for the last 2 year as a way of giving back to the profession. it falls in October close to Massage Week. I like the satisfaction of giving. Went I give, I recieve more than 10 fold.
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Permalink Reply by Erica Olson on
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There's a couple of ways to look at this. One: you accept what they pay you. Two: they accept what you charge.
Situation #1 is more of an employer/employee dynamic--they get to call the shots, you get to decide whether or not you want to suck it up (ie, keep your "job").
In situation #2, you're much more your own boss/IC. You decide what a living wage is, and if they want/can afford you, then great. If not, they miss out.
Notice that people never negotiate with doctors for the price of their services? Yeah.
Another option is that you could simply say, "I'm sorry, these are my rates. If you would like to subsidize your employees' ability to get a massage and they pay the difference, I'd be happy to accommodate you."
If, on the other hand, you really need the money (and it's worth the aggravation of being undervalued), then take it and run with it. -
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Good answer Erica. Darcy, I'm all for giving back once in awhile, but there is a big difference (imo) between the Council on Aging Employee and Volunteer Day and and a big "take it or leave it attitude" hospital. Too many times massage therapists are all about the giving until they can't afford rent and food. To truly give back to the profession, be one of the therapists that won't take just any job at any price...be one who stands by their own values and won't be underpaid....be one who stands up to the big guys and ask to be respected as a profession.
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Permalink Reply by Debra Rilea on
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Chris makes some excellent points. David does indeed define "fair" as what the provider is willing to accept and what the buyer is willing to pay. In this economy when all businesses, hospitals and massage therapists alike, are attempting to reduce expenses (outgoing) and increase income (incoming) to avoid what David calls the universal law of bankruptcy, these situations may continue to present themselves. And we must decide to choose whether we want the work or not and if the price is "fair" to us. Perhaps what we are offered is not ideal but we decide if it is acceptable at this time.
Like Chris suggests you may educate your contact with the hospital to the benefits of skilled chair massage professionals with experience in events, specifically their events and employees. My personal experience with a local hospital and chair massage events has been extensive. Yet they balked at our prices four years ago and brought in replacements. The results were not up to the standards we had set and we were back in the next year. And that is the key to negotiation, you must be willing to walk away from the job if the price is not acceptable to you. Price is not about your worth as a person or a therapist. It is a reflection of the perceived value of your service and the value of your service is determined by the buyer.
Good luck with your decision making process, I know it is not always easy.
Christine (Chris) Robinson said:David Palmer (who the AMTA calls "the Father of Chair Massage") has always said that a "fair" price is whatever a service-provider is willing to accept, AND that a service-buyer is willing to pay.
The hospital is cutting costs in whatever way it can. If you're like me, you're hurting for income, and yet you're experienced and you know that your experience is valuable.
Sure, they could probably get a bunch of MTs to come for even $10/hour, but what would the quality of their work be?
The hospital would have some understanding of the concept that you get what you pay for. If you have some opportunity to try to educate them about the difference between the value of an MT who knows event-massage, and the (much lesser) value of a good-hearted MT who has little or no experience in event-massage, then go for it. Most event sponsors really don't understand the difference between an MT who is willing to work for cheap, and an MT who knows how to make an event work, and so isn't (as) willing to work for cheap.
If you can highlight the benefits of the hospital paying you more, good for you! If the hospital isn't convinced, then you either have to let the job go to those who will work cheaper (...in which case, hopefully this year the hospital will learn the difference between experience and inexperience), or - remembering DP's definition of a fair price - you could also decide to work for less under the current conditions.
Best wishes to you! I hope you will post here and let us all know what happens. -
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Permalink Reply by Jody C. Hutchinson on
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Hello and thanks for your input,
I called the Wellness person at the hospital and she explained that the hospital was "just asking" if we would take a lower rate. She says she understood if I wasn't interested in the lower rate. Apparently, someone in accounting finally noticed that we had gotten a raise two years ago and wanted to roll back the price. After talking to the MT organizing the event, we all may bail. I feel very strongly about working for a living wage. -
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Hmmm. Maybe you guys can explain that the rate you had for the first two years was your "introductory" rate, helping get the event off the ground.
Jody C. Hutchinson said:Hello and thanks for your input,
I called the Wellness person at the hospital and she explained that the hospital was "just asking" if we would take a lower rate. She says she understood if I wasn't interested in the lower rate. Apparently, someone in accounting finally noticed that we had gotten a raise two years ago and wanted to roll back the price. After talking to the MT organizing the event, we all may bail. I feel very strongly about working for a living wage. -
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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Carroll on
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I am glad you are sticking to it about a "living wage." Usually my bottom line is wage/charge + publicity/return clients = my time.
We always have to weigh our options. I have done several events where the exposure was great, the pay not so, but gained serveral clients from it. I have also gotten paid great from a couple of events, with no returns whatsoever. On behalf of a charity I donated my time, accepted tips (which were in turn donated), and came away with gift certificate sales and one client. The person who suggested the employees offsetting the price is great! You will get paid an hourly rate and only work on folks who are willing to invest something in their health. It seems it would also give you more time to spend with each chair massage ct. We all know that the more a client is bonded to you, feels informed, and gets a quality service, it increases the likelihood of repeat business. -
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Jennifer and others,
Thanks again for your responses. After some time I've decided to make this the final year for this event. My friend who organizes it says the same thing. I think we will be getting $75.00/hour, $10.00 less than before. I'm still surprised that this lowball offer is from a hospital with a $400 million budget. After four years at this event, I've not had a single referral. I take pride in my work, and when I'm supposed to absorb a salary cut, I'm gone.
Cheers,
JH -
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Good on ya! I, for one, appreciate you standing up for not only yourself, but fellow MTs.
Jody C. Hutchinson said:Jennifer and others,
Thanks again for your responses. After some time I've decided to make this the final year for this event. My friend who organizes it says the same thing. I think we will be getting $75.00/hour, $10.00 less than before. I'm still surprised that this lowball offer is from a hospital with a $400 million budget. After four years at this event, I've not had a single referral. I take pride in my work, and when I'm supposed to absorb a salary cut, I'm gone.
Cheers,
JH -
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