RSCM Rates of Pay

[headcase]

I urgently need a copy of the RSCM table of recommended rates of pay for organists/choir directors.

If anyone has a copy, preferably in emailable form, could you please PM me ?

 

Thank you.

 

H

[Malcolm Kemp]

My understanding is that organisations like the RCO, RSCM & ISM can no longer offer recommended rates of pay because it is illegal to do so. What they do issue - generally in incomprehensible format - is details of average pay in various cateogries during the previous year. This is less than helpful but, apparently, it is curently the law.

 

Malcolm

[DQB123]

My understanding is that organisations like the RCO, RSCM & ISM can no longer offer recommended rates of pay because it is illegal to do so. What they do issue - generally in incomprehensible format - is details of average pay in various cateogries during the previous year. This is less than helpful but, apparently, it is curently the law.

 

Malcolm

Why is it illegal I wonder. (??)

[innate]

Why is it illegal I wonder. (??)

I think this has been discussed before. Promulgating rates of pay falls foul of recent anti-competition legislation, I think. It is still fine for eg the MU to negotiate pay scales with a particular employer or umbrella organisation (the BBC, Society of London Theatre etc) but where there is no negotiating client no scales of pay can be published. If the RSCM managed to get, say, the Church of England to agree a standard scale of wages and charges that would apply to all member churches and organists that would be fine. I note that job adverts still say things like "RSCM scale" or "above RSCM" but, like the OP, as I am not a member of the RSCM I have no idea what this might mean.

[wolsey]

As you will see here, the so-called 'RSCM rates' are available to members only. The ISM now issues the results of surveys of members as this is the only way it will satisfy the requirements of the Office of Fair Trading and not fall foul of the Competition Act, otherwise it would be committing an offence by creating a cartel. Those advising the RSCM, however, interpret the Competition Act differently, and do not appear to have come to the attention of the OFT as happened to the ISM. The RCO does not recommend rates.

[headcase]

Thanks to those who responded to my request.

I now have the information required.

 

H

[father-willis]

With fees being in the news recently I wondered, who (especially in the C of E) actually sets the wedding/funeral fee for the organist?

 

I thought that it was an engagement between the organist concerned and the family so the organist could charge - within reason - what he wanted. Or does the church council/PCC set the fee for the church? My church PCC sets the fee at the moment which is fine as they ask me what is reasonable, agree and set it for the year.

 

F-W

[innate]

With fees being in the news recently I wondered, who (especially in the C of E) actually sets the wedding/funeral fee for the organist?

 

I thought that it was an engagement between the organist concerned and the family so the organist could charge - within reason - what he wanted. Or does the church council/PCC set the fee for the church? My church PCC sets the fee at the moment which is fine as they ask me what is reasonable, agree and set it for the year.

My gut feeling is that the PCC should have nothing to do with fees for weddings and funerals. I would agree with the organist setting his own rate for these occasional services; if the vicar has concerns then he can get involved.

[Philip]

In the places I'm currently involved with the organists have no influence at all on the fees, which the church sets (assumably approved annually by the PCC). At one the PCC takes about £15 on top of the organist's fee (not sure what for exactly) while at the other there is a separate 'organ' fee payable which goes into the organ fund to contribute towards maintenance, tuning etc.