RE: Rates (was The Lone Writer)

[JB Foster <jb -dot- foster -at- shaw -dot- ca>]

A different list (on the web) is having a similar discussion about this. One
person posted that recent graduates in his city (Orlando), are willing to
work for peanuts. Being established, he can't afford to compete because of
the going rate. And since that university is still churning out lots of
qualified peanut-takers, each year. He's been forced into selling furniture,
because it pays better. He sounded bitter, and rightly so!

Previous to my career in tech writing, I had always worked in a unionized
setting - where the rates seldom went down. Layoffs were a risk, but the
good workers always managed to stick around. When I got injured, I had to
leave the protective fold of the union. Before that, I was oblivious to what
happens when you're not unionized. It hasn't effected me as bad as others.
Yet with all the skills and specialized education that tech-writers usually
have, this seems unfair. Then-again, lawyers are starting to be hit hard in
the wage department, as well - there are just too many of them for the
demands. And good old free enterprise loves being able to - 'buy em cheap,
work em hard.'

Bruce


Karen L. Zorn wrote:

<snip>
> Lots and lots of experienced TWs, lots and lots of graduates,
> lots and lots
> of TW wannabes. Big pond, lots of fish, employers can scale back on rates
> and always get takers. And, they're not being picky about who's sitting at
> the desk. If they can't get a senior writer too proud to take what they're
> offering, then there's another TW out there who will. $35/hr is
> an excellent
> offer at this time. Many jobs out there are looking for senior TW
> with lots
> of extra responsibilities and offering $15-20.
 <snip>



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