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Pay the Man
Hey Crusty! I'll get right to it: One of the clubs I work for
hired me to do an "all original Monday Madness" gig. Two
local loud and proud acts were going to showcase for an hour each.
The club owner and I had a verbal agreement that I would get paid
$100 to run sound for the event (the system is already installed).
The bands never showed. I hung around until 11 pm. The club owner
refused to pay me. Am I wrong in believing that I fulfilled my obligation
and deserve payment?
Should I have a contract that includes this provision?
Thanks!
Kurt Shetler
KURT, YOU’VE GOT THE WRONG GUY!
KRUSTY IS ON THE SIMPSONS! I’M MORE WIDELY KNOWN AS SKETCHY!
SPEAKING OF SKETCHY, THAT IS A PRETTY FUNNY STORY THERE.
THE GENTLEMANLY THING FOR MR. GREEDPIG TO DO WOULD HAVE BEEN TO
OFFER YOU HALF THE DOUGH, FIFTY BUCKS, SINCE HE DEPRIVED YOU OF
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ELSEWHERE THAT NIGHT, OR PLAY HIDE THE 58
WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND. YOU WOULDN’T HAVE HAD TO LIFT ANYTHING,
OR SUFFER THE PANGS OF LOUD’N’PROUD, AND YOU WOULD HAVE
BEEN WITHIN YOUR RIGHTS TO INSIST ON A COUPLE BEERS TO GO WITH THE
FIFTY. HOPE THEY GAVE YOU SOME WHILE YOU WAITED!
CONTRACTS DO NOT USUALLY APPEAR UNTIL THE AMOUNT IN QUESTION ENTAILS
FOUR FIGURES RATHER THAN THREE.
BACK WHEN I STARTED WORKING IN BARS, IT WAS MORE OF A FAMILY ATMOSPHERE,
FOR EXAMPLE, EVERYONE WAS GIVEN DINNER, NO QUESTION, EVERY NIGHT.
NOWADAYS, YOU CAN WORK IN ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS CLUBS IN AMERICA,
AND THEY WILL ASK YOU TO KICK DOWN A FEW BUCKS FOR THE PRIVILEGE
OF EATING A DAMN BURGER AND FRIES, THAT PROBABLY COST THEM A QUARTER,
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY HAVE THE NERVE TO MAKE MONEY OFF THEIR OWN
EMPLOYEES! THIS IS FURTHER PROOF OF THE EXISTENCE OF EVIL. DON’T
BELIEVE ME? AT THAT CLUB, IF AN EMPLOYEE ASKS FOR A GLASS OF ORANGE
JUICE (WHAT DOES THAT COST THEM, A NICKEL?) TO GO WITH THE MEAL
THEY PAID FOR, THEY ARE TOLD NO, YOU CAN ONLY HAVE A SODA FROM THE
GUN BEHIND THE BAR.
KURT, ARE YOU WITH ME? ARE WE GOING TO DESCEND ON THESE VULTURES,
BRANDISHING STRAIGHT STANDS, AND NOOSES MADE OUT OF XLR CABLE? ARE
WE GOING TO GAFF THEM TO THE DRUMFILL AND HAVE FROSTY TORTURE THEM
UNTIL THEY AGREE TO TREAT US LIKE PEOPLE? THEY LIVE WHILE WE SLEEP!
LUV
- THE OLD SOUNDMAN
P.S. – IN MY CLUB, WE FEED OUR PEOPLE! AND AT THE END OF THE
NIGHT, THEY CAN DAMN WELL HAVE A SHIFT-OFF DRINK, FOR FREE! IF IT
WAS A GOOD NIGHT, WE ALL MIGHT SIT AROUND AND HAVE A COUPLE. OUR
ACCOUNTANT SLEEPS WELL, BECAUSE WE SPEND MONEY TO MAKE BEAUTIFULLY
DESIGNED HIGH-QUALITY T-SHIRTS THAT WE SELL TO TOURISTS LIKE HOTCAKES.
SWAG, BAYBAY, SWAG, YOU THINK ONLY THE BANDS KNOW ABOUT THAT?
AND IF ONE OF MY PEOPLE WANT TO LAY DOWN ON A TATTERED COUCH IN
THE CREW ROOM WE PROVIDE FOR THEM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND TAKE
A NAP BETWEEN SOUNDCHECK AND SHOWTIME, AND THAT MEANS THEY ARE GOING
TO KICK ASS AT THE SHOW, GUESS WHAT, THAT DOESN’T THREATEN
ME OR MY PARTNER A BIT! WE PAY OUR PEOPLE A LITTLE MORE THAN THE
GOING RATE IN OUR REGION, AND THUS THEY HAVE NO MOTIVATION TO LEAVE.
THESE ARE THE TRUE PRINCIPLES OF AMERICAN BUSINESS.
