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#96313 - 04/23/08 01:55 PM
$ per line
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jmay
Junior Member
Registered: 06/10/05
Posts: 41
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Anybody that works for a service, can you tell me how much you are paid per line and approximately lines per week? The company I'm with right now seems to be giving me the shaft and I'd like to compare.
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#96314 - 04/23/08 02:27 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: jmay]
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JustJ
Member
Registered: 09/24/04
Posts: 1228
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I doubt that you are going to get anyone to discuss their wages with you on an open forum. If you go down to the classifieds forum there might be job openings there advertising what they pay per line. From what I have found, part time seems to be about 2500 lines per week and full time about 5000 lines per week.
J
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#96396 - 04/24/08 01:07 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: JustJ]
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NiteNinja00
Member
Registered: 01/14/03
Posts: 1028
Loc: Indianapolis
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Full time we are required 6000 per week roughly. It's 12000 per pay period, which is every 2 weeks plus or minus a day.
I don't wish to discuss my pay rate. It varies by skill level.
_________________________
There are three kinds of people in the world. Those that can count and those that can't.
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#96507 - 04/25/08 10:21 AM
Re: $ per line
[Re: NiteNinja00]
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BizzeeMT
Member
Registered: 07/23/01
Posts: 1205
Loc: Midwest
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jmay ~
Though you aren't likely to get anyone's pay rate, understandably, in general, pay rates don't vary wildly from national to national. Low end is 5 to 6 cpl up to 10 to 11 cpl for those who maintain high QA scores and higher production levels. Typical weekly lph requirements again vary. Full time status can be as low as 4000 lines per week or as much as 6000 per week. These are employee stats. IC stats would vary even more between pay (typically higher) and weekly requirements remain about the same. VR/SR editing is another factor entirely.
If you fall somewhere in between, you're "within normal limits."
_________________________
For I am a Bear of Very Little Brain, and long words bother me." — Winnie the Pooh
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#97152 - 05/02/08 07:50 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: jmay]
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Quiltie
Member
Registered: 11/05/01
Posts: 302
Loc: Oregon
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And... you've gotta take into consideration all the variables that go into figuring "the line." With/without spaces, 55/60/65, headers/footers, bold/underline, etc., etc.
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#98297 - 05/19/08 09:40 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: Quiltie]
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Peeps
New Member
Registered: 04/08/03
Posts: 4
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I don't know why people don't want to discuss their wages. Who really cares? This is an anon board anyway. When I was an IC starting out with my own accounts I was making .10 to .11 for a 56 character line. Now, 13 years later and working for a small MTSO I am only making .08 per 65 character line. I admit its horrible, but depending on what you want - acquiring and maintaining your own accounts or working for someone else - you get paid differently. I found also, that depending where you live, as an IC with your own accounts the pay is drastically different all over the US. (I've lived in the North, South, East and Midwest).
And to top it off, this is the only profession that you don't get increases for cost of living. And that totally stinks!
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#98298 - 05/19/08 09:57 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: Peeps]
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tropsicleAfter
Member
Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 2147
Loc: MS Gulf Coast
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And to top it off, this is the only profession that you don't get increases for cost of living.
No, it's not.
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tropsicle
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#98299 - 05/19/08 10:07 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: tropsicleAfter]
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casagrandeMT
Member
Registered: 12/05/04
Posts: 1341
Loc: Casa Grande, AZ
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Maybe not, trops, but it is one of the few jobs where you can make less than when you started out.
Seems like more experience = less pay for many in the MT field - just read our own board where people with 20 years of experience are making less money now.
Sad.
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Casagrande ex-MT
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#98303 - 05/19/08 10:33 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: casagrandeMT]
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tropsicleAfter
Member
Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 2147
Loc: MS Gulf Coast
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Lots of people in many fields are making less money now, if not directly, then indirectly.
I have always maintained that you can only make less doing the same job if you (UGU) accept that cut in pay, and if you do accept it, you have nothing to complain about. I, myself, am not making less, but more. I have been in situations where I was told my pay would be cut, but I didn't accept that and moved on. Even as an IC, I do not wait for offers of more, but negotiate for myself raises. Many MTSO owners actually seen to respect that more.
People accept less for many, many reasons, and I am not putting any of those decisions down. I will point out again, though, that if one accepts a deal for less then that is the bed they have made. It is not the fault of the industry and not the fault of the MTSO owner or other employer. If one accepts a deal that means they make less, the fault lies solely on the shoulder of the acceptee.
It's not a simple problem and there are no simple solutions. However, the one thing each of us can control is their own destiny and dignity.
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tropsicle
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#98304 - 05/19/08 10:40 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: tropsicleAfter]
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casagrandeMT
Member
Registered: 12/05/04
Posts: 1341
Loc: Casa Grande, AZ
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Well, I have to disagree with you.
I DO think it is a major problem with the MT industry today.
I did not accept it, which is why I am now an ex-MT.
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Casagrande ex-MT
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#98306 - 05/19/08 10:49 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: casagrandeMT]
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tropsicleAfter
Member
Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 2147
Loc: MS Gulf Coast
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What exactly are you disagreeing with?
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tropsicle
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#98307 - 05/19/08 11:03 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: tropsicleAfter]
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casagrandeMT
Member
Registered: 12/05/04
Posts: 1341
Loc: Casa Grande, AZ
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I have always maintained that you can only make less doing the same job if you (UGU) accept that cut in pay, and if you do accept it, you have nothing to complain about.
It is not the fault of the industry and not the fault of the MTSO owner or other employer.
I think it is the fault of the industry that MTs make less money now than ever before.
Sure, some MTs exist who stay working for a company that cuts their pay due to fear of being unable to find another job.
But, when the industry norm is currently 8 cpl with experience (I started out at 10 cpl), that is an industry problem, not a problem with the MT.
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Casagrande ex-MT
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#98311 - 05/20/08 07:14 AM
Re: $ per line
[Re: casagrandeMT]
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tropsicleAfter
Member
Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 2147
Loc: MS Gulf Coast
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I just think you are being very short-sighted in your view of industry economics, Casa.
First, 'the industry' is only a conceptual entity, made up of MTSOs (of various sizes) and MTs (as employees or some form of contractor). We all are aware that the MTSOs are not operating with anything approaching a communal mindset, so 'the industry' as an entity cannot do anything in concert enough to actually be 'at fault'.
Regardless of whether I accept your determination of what the 'industry norm' is, the fact remains that if no MT accepted 8 cpl, that initial offer would rise. If 8 cpl is the norm, it is because so many MTs accepted that offer. As in your example above, staying for less because of fear of finding another job is still staying for less. Regardless of the rationalization, that MT accepted less, and that, not the paycut, is the reason that compensation has spiraled downward.
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tropsicle
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#98314 - 05/20/08 09:13 AM
Re: $ per line
[Re: tropsicleAfter]
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JoanneT
New Member
Registered: 05/19/08
Posts: 3
Loc: Colorado
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Just jumping into the thread here, and speaking as a newbie (not even an MT yet) but why is it that the pay rate goes down with experience? Don't 'normal' jobs give pay raises not pay cuts?! (even the guy that empties the trash at McDonalds get pay raises!!!)
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Joanne in CO
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#98317 - 05/20/08 09:32 AM
Re: $ per line
[Re: JoanneT]
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tropsicleAfter
Member
Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 2147
Loc: MS Gulf Coast
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Well, the statement that pay rate goes down with experience is somewhat flawed to begin with. This certainly can be found when changing jobs, but, as a matter of course, it is not common that a MT working either for or in association with an MTSO is suddenly told that their pay rate is going down, unless other factors, such as poor QA, are involved. Keep in mind that the business owner has every right to attempt to make more money by whatever means. As I have said, if you are faced with the situation wherein the person you are working for or in association with tells you they can no longer pay you as much as you were making, then the onus is on your to either accept or reject that offer. If you accept less, that is no longer the blame of the owner, but of yourself. There may be any number or reasons one would accept less, but none of them absolve you of taking personal responsibility for accepting less.
The majority of MT jobs are not as employees but as either independent contractors or subcontractors. When you ask your same question in relationship to a roofer or plumber,or any other profession where one works for themselves, the logic fails.
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tropsicle
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#98366 - 05/20/08 04:06 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: tropsicleAfter]
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JoanneT
New Member
Registered: 05/19/08
Posts: 3
Loc: Colorado
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Thanks for the explanation. Bottom line, from what I'm understanding then, is that it's based on personal decision. If offered the cut, you either take it and don't complain or don't take it and walk. That actually sounds pretty normal for any job.
Thanks,
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Joanne in CO
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#98368 - 05/20/08 04:15 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: JoanneT]
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haggis
Member
Registered: 04/29/04
Posts: 2563
Loc: Left Coast, FL
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Actually, for anyone working as an employee, it's not that simple. With so many sweetheart deals to channel rank beginners into editing jobs--and MT in general moving in that direction, period--there are plenty of veterans who are too afraid to even test the IC waters because if they leave their job and decide to return later, they are not being offered the rate they were making, but the exact same rate as those new grads, even if they go back to the same account. IMHO, the criteria for keeping clients is fast and cheap, and quality is just something they pay lip service to. The sheer numbers of newbs willing to work for any rate has helped to fill those jobs, even with the inevitable turnover, and I don't believe experience counts for as much as you seem to think, trops. 
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#98374 - 05/20/08 05:26 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: haggis]
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tropsicleAfter
Member
Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 2147
Loc: MS Gulf Coast
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Oh, haggis, I never said a thing about experience.
All that you said above is absolutely true, and none of it contradicts what I originally said to Casa or Joanne.
I think the number of instances where an MT, already working for an MTSO, is up and sudden offered less pay for the same work is actually very small. However, even if they change the job title (such as to Editor), then the individual still has the undeniable option to take it or move on. All I am maintaining is that if far fewer of us had taken it, the compensation thing would be much less of a problem.
Such situations as leaving and returning of course place the MT in a position of less power in negotiating. In that, MT is different than other technical work, as posted by tonks in some other thread (I believe her example was IT, where moving frequently results in better pay). And, ultimately, it is not the sheer number of poorly-trained noobs hitting the market but the rates that they accept that drive the compensation down - again, it's that personal acceptance of the rate thing, not the MTSO or the industry.
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tropsicle
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#98375 - 05/20/08 05:32 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: tropsicleAfter]
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haggis
Member
Registered: 04/29/04
Posts: 2563
Loc: Left Coast, FL
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Yeah, well, I come from the land where, if you want a raise, they tell you you're free to work harder, faster, and more hours. Very sad when the cost of living keeps advancing and we're supposed to feel fortunate if our pay merely stands still.
Happy MT Week. *grumble grumble* 
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#98378 - 05/20/08 05:52 PM
Re: $ per line
[Re: haggis]
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tropsicleAfter
Member
Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 2147
Loc: MS Gulf Coast
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haggis, I do hear ya, and know that what you describe happens every day. However, that isn't the overall description that Casa posted and I replied to. Pay standing still is not the same as less pay that she referred to.
Look, to all, I never meant to disparage the choices we all are forced to make in life. We each make our choices based on our own, individual, situation, even those poorly-trained noobs who just want to make pin money while they stay at home with their children. I remain of the thought that once we make those choices, we have to live with the consequences and not try to blame the industry or someone else. Our choices = our consequences.
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tropsicle
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