I hate, too to be rude...but hogwash.

A person who is given the pay for what they do works better, especially if on
a merit
system where the raises are in accordance to what you do.  In the museum field
we work every holiday, not paid for what we do....why?  Because of boards?
Because
of the idea that we are nonprofit.  Hey, non-profits can make money.  And
most boards wants the best qualified people....don't they?

Yes, many boards need to become enlightened on the economy and profession.
If they want the educated, the qualified, the experienced....they are going
to have to pay for them or end up with the poor-end (less qualified or
motivated) of the candidates.

One must also look at the other side of the coin......a qualified person
(with brains)
is going to go for the job that pays the best income.  Yes (stepping out on a
limb) I believe over time if museums want people with Masters' or PhDs' they
are going to have to rethink their pay system, the museum structures itself
or end up with less-education or the least desirable candidates.

There is no Golden Rule that museum professionals have to be paid low income.
 It
is a frame of mind that museum profession will work for those wages.  So why
not pay them for it...if they are not complaining.

There is such a thing as negotiating for wages.  If you are what the hiring
committee or staff wants, they can meet a salary range that is fair.   Museum
professionals should be equal to many other professions (as teachers, middle
management, etc.) but in most cases we are not.

To do a job because it is fun, exciting or what we want to do may be a valid
reason.  But along with that should come a fair and equal pay for work that
is being done.  Yes, and equal to other like occupations, with economical
factors taken into consideration.

And this statement:  "Take a good look at anyone who is really successful in
this
field or any field, and you will see someone who is not paid anything near
equivalent to the work they do, but also someone who is really passionate,
and devoted to the work they do."

What a generalization.   What I see is that successful people are intelligent
enough to obtain equivalent pay for doing what they do or they are going to
go on to something that pays them well.  Being smart, that usually comes
along with passion and devotion to
doing what they do.  Golly, because museum people are passionate and devoted,
does not mean we cannot be paid a "good wage" that will make us eve more
passionate
and devoted.

There has been so many postings on this site about wages.  It is a big deal
with those
in the field.   There is much complaints about the pay...and I just hate to
see qualified people changing their minds and doings something else.

Along these lines ~~ how many museum professionals feel trapped in their
occupation and want to get out?  They feel they wasted their money on a
higher degree, and it is not what they expected.  They know they can make
more money in another field or another position and what a change.

Best, John Martinson
(an underpaid, complaining Curator of Collections....)   Oh me, oh my....
(where's the violin!!!)

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