Has the time finally come?
A new topic seems to have arisen in the past few weeks--and its not one that is welcomed in many circles other than those who make money off of tournaments--and that is the issue of paying new officials less than experienced officials. While this has been a topic since the beginning of time, it seems that there are now committee meetings at the USTA level to discuss the issue. Many of us officials have been opposed to having an OFFICIALS UNION but perhaps it is time to seriously rethink that issue...
This editor is diametrically and forever more opposed to the idea of less pay for newer officials because of numerous ramifications--but in order to be "diverse" and "sensitive", here are some thoughts to ponder in the discussion.
* What possible criteria would be used to determine the pay scale. Do you base it on years of experience or levels of certification.
* Do you pay less for an official that is obviously inept in their job performance?
* Remember that rates are set by local associations and referees and not by USTA committees.
* Always remember that officials are "independent contractors" and thus can set their own rates. The policy in the Metroplex is that the Metroplex Tennis Officials Association will not issue paychecks for those who pay less than our established minimums.
* If the issue is that new officials don't do as good a job as experienced officials then do we deduct pay from those who don't do a good job?
* Whatever happened to the truth that "if you don't like an official or are dissatisfied with their job performance--then don't hire them"?
I might be open to a discussion of this topic if the following steps are taken:
* The tournament directors would publish accurate accounts of the finances from their tournament and then base the pay scale on these figures. A tournament director could not pay the officials less than an established minimum but could always pay more for good service.
* Have a minimum base pay for new officials and do not permit tournament directors to go below that rate.
* Make a firm determination of what constitutes a "new official." It could be based on years of service or number of tournaments worked or some other valid criteria.
* Base the officials' pay on the amount of the entry fee for the tournament and the pay could never be less than the established minimum.
* Base the officials' pay on the number of entries in a tournament and not to be less than the established minimum.
* Establish a minimum pay for all officials and then add to the base pay for years of service, level of certification, and amount of training.
Here are some examples to consider:
ZAT TOURNAMENT:
Minimum pay for officials with less than 2 years experience: $16/hour w/8 hour minimum.
Minimum pay for officials with more than 2 years experience: $18/hour w/8 hour minimum.
$1/hour added for those officials who are referee or ITA certified.
$1/hour added for those officials who do pro lines.
CHAMPS & SUPER CHAMPS & ADULT TOURNAMENTS:
Minimum pay for officials with less than 2 years experience: $18/hour w/8 hour minimum.
Minimum pay for officials with more than 2 years experience: $20/hour w/8 hour minimum.
$1/hour added for those officials who are referee or ITA certified.
$1/hour added for those officials who do pro lines.
Note: And just to excite those who hate eating, meals would be included in all fees and if not provided, then $12/meal would be added to each paycheck.
That means that officials who have over 2 years experience and are referee and ITA certified and do pro lines will be making $22/hour w/8 hour minimum.
I'm ready for a union and changes to our pay...
21 comments:
Isn’t one of the instigators a former President of the MTOA who got his pink panties in a wad when he tried to reduce the amount of money paid to officials working grass roots tournaments and the Board said not no, but hell no, so he resigned his position to focus on his tournament director / Referee duties at his podunk tournaments.
We should base pay on USTA certification levels. This will force those repeatedly lazy officials who only re-certify at the Provisional level to step up and do the work required to expand their skills. It would also allow those ‘elite’ Professional officials to keep an extra $0.50 per hour to compensate for all the hard work they do blindly staring at a line all day long, and occasionally getting whacked by an angry because of their questionable calls.
So now you have a graded pay scale.
This will be used to assure that the same inexperienced, lackadaisical, hungry, lazy officials work 14 hours a day every tournament.
Tournament directors will make a lot more - until they suddenly understand that no one will pay to sign up under such conditions....
I can pretty well assure you that this reduction in pay for new officials will never it through the MTOA board. And the USTA doesn't/shouldn't have the right to set our pay scales.
Maybe you need to run a few tournaments - pay for the courts, lights, net straps, sight directors, usta fees, tdm fees, insurance, sanction fees, and many other items... maybe you need to be told to pay a person with a few hours training a wage that McDonald employees would stop picketing for... maybe you need to hear parents cry about officials that "look the other way" AND still you have to pay them $16-$18 per hour. YES you have to pay them that if they are there 6 hours 8 hours or 14 hours - depends on the referees ability to higher!!!
Your a true vision of the America we live in - "HEY YOU MAKE MORE YOU OWE ME MORE" - sad very sad!
You knew the costs before you ever signed on as a tournament director so don't complain. You are still making plenty.
If you have officials that are that bad then obviously you are hiring the wrong referee. Get a good one and you will get good service.
That would be a typical response from someone that does have the guts to host their own tournament or start their own business.
Incredible that you think that you get to decide that a person is making too much so they need to pay you more... you have no idea what (cost) it takes to host a tournament. From my time to my staffs time to my courts and my electric bill... Yes, we know the cost - there are more than you know. Stick to what you do best because you have little risk - but a solid paycheck and lunch.
That last comment says a lot about you... "You are still making plenty" - wow!
Form you union in your mind... we will still hire $16-$18 officials that could careless about the union in your sad mind.
Since you don't have the integrity to sign your name I can only assume that you are a disgruntled TD who wants to make more money. I imagine in my lifetime I have hosted more tournaments that you even know about so I definitely know the costs involved.
I do know a smokescreen when I see one and that's what's happening with this issue of cutting the pay for new officials. The hypothetical pay scale was only to point out the hypocrisy of this new issue.
As one of my fellow tournament directors said, "We have tournaments because we make money on them. Plain and simple."
There are tournaments in Texas where they make tens of thousands of dollars in profits but its the fly-by-night tournament directors who are looking to screw whoever they can out so they can make a buck.
SOME come to the job experienced, knowing the rules and knowing how to interact with others... and others need help.
If they worked for me - they earn their pay according to their skill. It makes since to pay a provisional less than a USTA certified Official.
Keep it simple - pay a provisional $12 and the USTA Cert $16. That way the Provisional will want to move to the next level (and stay there).
Why is that a bad idea?
And for Gods sake - do not ask to look at a TDs bottom-line. That is their business and their liability - not ours.
What is the deal with 14 hour days - don't you have enough officials?
Seems silly that Refs cant get enough officials - Foster told me that Texas has over 400 people and most are from Houston and DFW.
Do you want to know what the Tournament Directors are making so that you can show them that they are making too much?
Most people complain about a yearly school and we have the right to tell our employers what to pay these people?
14 hours seems more like a club of officials that want to get fed, make a crap load of money over two or three days for avoiding conflicts.
I am not sure why you are complaining?
The last two comments must have been written by unhappy tournament directors.
Officials have to work 14 hour days because there aren't enough officials to go around anywhere in Texas. If you think officials are making a lot of money for working 14 hours then go out and do it sometime and then let us know how you feel.
I personally could care less what a tournament director makes but don't tell us how broke you are and how much money you don't make because we all know better. You wouldn't be doing it if you were losing money.
If you seriously want to make more money, then get the USTA to let you charge more for the entry fees. Don't cut your corners on new officials.
In this America you are one of the poor and helpless working class that should not respond to... for you are a usta official that crys out for justice in tournament filled with riches and gold for me -- the horrible, want to make a living for my family- td!
If you "could care less" about my bottomline - why did you mention it? I never said I don't make money running tournaments - my family appreciates it. I amnot sure what you do other than umpire tennis but I am sure you earn money someother way for your family... tell us why is it my (td's) fault you don't have more usta umps in tx (maybe here in dfw they just don't want to work with you?) Sounds like the usta has a problem signing up people that like to walk around in a bright shirt and get paid $16 per hour... weird problem! And we could charge more... good idea - we already have a decline in tx in overall entries... but, hey that way just the rich brats will come (including their starbuck parents).
WAIT A MINUTE ...
That alone maybe worth the $16 and a subway us RICH td's throw down to you poorly paid over worked umps &^%%(*&%*&%(*&%!!!!
We officials may care less about what you make but you sure are possessed with what we make.
Sorry but we don't get paid $16 and hour in Texas. In the Metroplex it is $20/hour for the referee and $18/hour for the umpires. I'm sure you will love hearing that.
sorry I know it is sacrilegious to say as an official, but let the TD pay whatever rate they want and let officials decide if they want to work. When a TD can not get well qualified officials then their tournament suffers and maybe lose a major tournament or sanction.
Let market decide the pay versus a union or other organization, as you said officials are independent contractors.
That's the best solution I've heard of so far. Just let them put their pay scale out there and see who they get. The old adage, "you get what you pay for" holds true in tennis tournaments too.
Pay scales are negotiated by the respective referees and since they are independent contractors, they are free to negotiate whatever price they want. Then the officials can determine if they want to work for that referee or not.
One thing to consider in the Metroplex is that if a tournament director/referee chooses to pay officials less than the standard rate approved by the MTOA Board of Directors, then the MTOA will not process their paychecks. You'd be surprised how many renegade referees don't want to keep up with the W-9's and all the tax information...
RM- some places in Texas you do get paid $16/hour. In Houston, $16/hour for official and $19/hour for referee.. Curious as to why there isn't a standard pay rate for Texas?
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