GDG- Gettysburg Guiding

[James Cameron]

<<I
think discussion of this topic is inappropriate in this forum.  Why is
the subject of financial compensation for a professional service a
discussion topic?  I do not expect any member of the GDG to discuss the
details of their own compensation arrangement with their employer in a
public forum.

LBG's are fully aware of the Code of Federal
Fegulations concerning guides.  A copy of them is included with the
annual license renewal process.

Let's get back to discussing the battle.

John Baniszewski  >>

John,

I'll leave what is or isn't appropriate to the Moderators, but just IMO a 
discussion of the fact a dispute exists, and the nature of the NPS and Guide 
Force relationship and how the system works in terms of the underlying 
regulatory structure, should be fair game.  Even the tour rate structure is 
a matter of public record.  But I do agree that what the Guides themselves 
make in terms of theor own individual finances is their own business, and I 
would hate to see any base motives ascribed to either side.  I think the 
fact is that both the Park and the Guides have some very legitimate concerns 
involved in the issue.

I prefer not to take sides in the matter, which as I said before seems to me 
to be one in which an agreement will be reached, come what may.  But just as 
a general comment, we've come to a day and age in which people now expect, 
almost as a matter of course, to book and pay for travel and vacation 
related services - hotel rooms, attractions, dinner cruises, shoes, and yes, 
tours in advance, over the Internet.  And as the movie analogy was brought 
up earlier, even movie tickets.  Less and less are people willing to take a 
chance on walking up to a counter, with no prior reservations, and being 
turned away because everything is fully booked that day.  The Guides may see 
this as reducing their flexability and independence, but OTOH, it seems to 
me that this could actually allow them to better manage their own scheduling 
and staffing.  As to the Park holding money for completed tours too long, I 
certainly wouldn't appreciate that if I was the one out of pocket, but OTOH 
I don't see that as being all that different, fundamentally, from any 
employer managing its payroll, keeping records of who worked how many hours 
in a given week, and issuing regular paychecks.

Jim Cameron