A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

STRIKE - DM

Posted: Nov 05, 2009

After 20 plus years in this field and now having to work 15 hour days to make a decent day's pay, I do not know about you, but I am fed up. There is not a company out there that does in fact "value" our services. If we can get 8/line we consider ourselves lucky. I have seen the rates go down and believe that is due to the fact most companies outsource to other countries - whether they admit it or not - and was in fact told by a recent recruiter not to expect more than 8 cents a line as the work could just as easily be done for 3 cents a line elsewhere. So, what do we do? We have no one lobbying for us, no laws in the making to keep the work here in the U.S. What would happen if every MT, CMT in the US, and that is every single one, all took a designated day off and there was absolutely no transcribing/editing from us on that day? If one day did not rattle a few cages, how about two days? A week? I'm game. Anyone else?

hate to say it, but don't think it would work - MTMe

[ In Reply To ..]
There are too many people looking for work and ready to jump in immediately. Times are hard. I need my job(s) right now (I have four) all of them.

STRIKE - DM

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Exactly why you need to take charge of your life - or maybe you need to work five jobs? Sorry to be so critical but I do not believe there are enough scabs to cover for two days. We all need our jobs. But we all need to be paid well for doing them so we are not working 16 hour days and four jobs.

My other jobs are freelance, not MT - MTMe

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I didn't add that. I started doing other things on the side last year and now use MT as backup to my other work.

Could you support yourself on MT alone on - what theyre paying nowadays?

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Most likely no. At least not with one MT job and no sidelines. Not working a standard 40-hour week, that's for sure.

So why is it, that people in other professions, which are as-skilled or less-skilled than MT, have a living wage, benefits, vacations, sick days, and a 40-hour work week, and we DON'T?

Next time you take a pre-employment, hours-long transcription test for some MTSO, which you ace because of your skill and experience, and then you are offered a paltry 8 cents per line, ask them WHY? Why do they want all that skill, all that experience, all that HIPAA compliance, and yada-yada-yada, and yet it's only worth peanuts to them?

"The hospitals don't want to pay any more than that", they'll lie to you. Oh, yeah? Maybe they don't put a value on MT, because our EMPLOYERS don't put a value on it. They undervalue THEMSELVES, as well, when they all try to underbid each other.

Also, not working "more" just keeping my fingers busy for eight hours - MTMe

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Sorry-I wish I could get all of my thoughts together in one post at one time--I don't work MORE than I would work at a single MT job, I work steadily for eight hours now. My problem with MT was sitting around waiting for work from companies. I had to find something that I could do when the MT pool work ran dry every day. I hate not having control over how much I am able to work.

MT is more than just "keeping our fingers busy." - For some of us, its our sole income.- nm

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nm

ALSO: Don't forget, QAs and editors need to - go on strike, as theyre also underpaid!

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Then, LET them send all the work offshore for a week! Who would edit it? The CEO's? Upper management? The janitors in corporate headquarters, perhaps? I'd love to see just what exactly they would do about it if all of us - MT, QA, VR, etc. sat on our hands for a week and didn't earn a dime for the Greedy Ones. It would do my heart good to see it.

HAHAHAH You guys are really funny - Dream On!

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You should put this much effort into finding a decent job - be it MT or something else. Companies (MT or not) do not owe us anything. If you are in a bad situation, you should be smart enough to know it is not going to change unless YOU do something about it. Stupid question here, but why are you not seeking a job with another employer rather than retaliating against the one you have?

All I can say is, "Enjoy your McTranscription" job! - (Complacency is not a virtue).

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/

And you enjoy unemployment when you call in and say you are on strike!! - NM

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x

You say you "need your jobs". - sm - Zircon

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Then aren't your jobs worth fighting for? No MT job in the US is safe from offshoring. I would be willing to lose the job I currently have, if it meant bringing our jobs back to the US again. That would mean more job opportunities and higher wages for us, not clinging to straws and trying to convince ourselves we're "lucky" to have these crappy jobs.

And just how do you propose to get ahold of every single US MT and - get them to agree to this???

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I bet the second that would happen, every job would be shifted overseas.

STRIKE - DM

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As far as reaching every single MT in the U.S. - No, I do not believe that could be possible. I am not proposing this happen tomorrow. A specified date. There would be much work involved in reaching as many MTs as possible via boards such as this, every MT knows another MT and word of mouth and the Internet would have to be the first step. If every MT took out an ad in their local Sunday paper with the specifics that would reach many. Some of our monthly magazines, could carry an ad for a month - again something that would be the joint venture of more than one person as one person certainly could not afford those costs. Open to suggestions here. Certainly by the sarcasm this subject has raised, there are some unhappy MTs out there.

I would not join in.... - L

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I am satisfied with my pay because am fast and can make what I want, am satisfied with the hours and days I work, am satisfied with the company because they do not micromanage. If others have issues, then they need to take care of their own self. If you have to work upteem hours per day to make a living, do something else, find a job that pays better, get out of the house and go to work, anything. Does not impact my life so therefore I would not join in.

If you're satisfied with MT pay, then you have - set your standards pretty darned LOW.

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Will you still be satisfied if they continue to follow the current trend, and go even lower? How "satisfying" can it be to work 15-hour days (only getting paid for 8 of them, of course), and barely eking out a living? I value myself, and my profession, far more than just settling for that.

I do not work endless hours, I make a good salary - L

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I work 8 hours a day. I can average about $150 per day, sometimes more. If others are not making enough, then they need to do something else. How much clearer can I be? I donâ��t think my pay nor standards either one low.

Then dont you worry that someone will underbid - you, and you could lose that job?

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Also, $150 a day isn't that much. It's only about $18.75 an hour. Granted, it's more than I'm making now. BUT, when you factor in the training, skill and knowledge required to do your job, that's a pretty low wage. There are guys digging up the street where I live, hauling chunks of asphalt in wheelbarrows past my window, who are making twice that, or even more, per hour. And all they need is 2 arms, 2 legs, and a head in the middle.

Hey, glad for them but this is not my only - L

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income, if it were I would work full time, not even doing that. Look, I could care less what others make. You nor I neither one make the money Beyonce makes and so? I have lost transcription jobs in the past and am still working so the answer to if underbid, no donâ��t worry about that either. Right now I do not think most MTers out here would fuss about making a salary of $18.75 per hour or a little more. Again, you are trained with all those requirements you said for me and yet you make less? Why not upgrade yourself.

"Upgrading" would be easier if good MT jobs were - available, and more would be available -sm

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if MTs were unified and stood behind each other. Sometimes you have to look at the big picture (which is DISMAL for most MTs), and notjust at one's own tiny little universe. Until we're all willing to stick our necks out and assume a little risk, there's little hope of better days ahead for this career.

So sad - gourdpainter

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"Does not impact my life so too bad about you." Sad that has become the American way. When issues come back to bite you on the backside I hope you'll remember that "it only affects you."

Kinda' like those who merely looked on and - laughed in Richmond when girl was raped.

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One time a friend told me she and her hubby were out for a walk on a bike path. Down by the creek they saw what looked like a guy hurting a girl. Hubby was going to go down to see if she needed help, and friend tells him not to go, because she "didn't want HER life changed if something happened to him." How very thoughtful of her. I just hope, after they left, that the girl turned out to be okay.

Oh, gimme a break. - Not the same at all

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You really expect people who are quite busy, satisfied, and making decent money in this business to agree to go on strike because YOU are unhappy. If you are so unhappy, YOU do something about it! It's not like you need help from fellow MTs to quit a lousy job.

You are blind as a bat, no insight, as is said, it takes a villiage. - .

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And yet, that standby and watch rape is relevant to.

As you can see on the various boards, MTs are NOT happy and are being taken advantage of BECAUSE THE SUITS CAN (nobody stopping it) just like the ongoing rapes, molestations, kignapping, beatings, wife/girlfriend or just stranger killings, maiming, all because THEY CAN, nobody stopping them. GET IT. Just because it is not YOU, does not mean noninvolvement.

Someone retired coming on telling others what to do - L

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If others are unhappy then they should do whatever it takes for them. I do not fall into that category at all. No way would I put my neck on the line for people who apparently are happy to sit around waiting for work to come to them or just barely making it on a salary because they cannot get their behinds out the door to have a job that perhaps buys groceries, pays bills and puts a roof over their head. It would not impact me ever because I am old enough to retire should I want- then I could be like others on here who come to tell people how they should run their lives.

STRIKE - DM

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"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up
because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I
didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade
unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was
a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left
to speak up."

-- by Martin NiemÃ¶ller, prominent German anti-Nazi theologian and
Lutheran pastor, best known as the author of the poem First they
came..

You just donâ��t get it, do you? - L

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I have no interest in putting my head on the chopping block for others that want to stay at home because they have kids and cannot possibly work anywhere else, they sit at home, no work, no money and all I see on this board is woe little me. Those bad MTSOs, the way WE are treated, the money WE are paid. Well I happen not to be in those categories and I donâ��t know a single person who posts here. I have no relationship with you or anyone else here. I donâ��t make my living doing this. Years ago when I was put out of a job several times, outsourcing and such, how many people were there then to help me? None. I did it myself and would suggest if you donâ��t have what you need, do it yourself. If the world of transcription goes under, I then retire. It is as simple as that for me.

lobbying for us - skiMT

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There is someone lobbying for us. AHDI formerly AAMT. Check out their website for more info.

STRIKE - DM

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skiMT: I have checked out AHDI's site. As a matter of fact, I am a member - I retain my CMT for what it is worth - the current company I work for does not recognize either having the CMT or being a member of any organization such as AHDI as being significant. While I do not believe the efforts of AHDI are completely without cause, their position in off-shore transcription is certainly not in our favor. Following is the quote from AHDI's web page regarding off-shore transcription:
"Contracting out transcription work overseas and advancements in speech recognition technology are not expected to significantly reduce the need for well-trained medical transcriptionists. Outsourcing transcription work abroadâ��to countries such as India, Pakistan, Philippines, and the Caribbeanâ��has grown more popular as transmitting confidential health information over the Internet has become more secure; however, the demand for overseas transcription services is expected only to supplement the demand for well-trained domestic medical transcriptionists. In addition, reports transcribed by overseas medical transcription services usually require editing for accuracy by domestic medical transcriptionists before they meet U.S. quality standards."

AHDI speaks with forked tongue. -nm - Non-Believer

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.

Are you being sarcastic? They've done more to hurt us than anyone. - sm

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That's why I refuse to be a member or renew my CMT. They're all for offshoring & cutting our pay. They don't represent the US MT at all. They represent putting more money in the big corporation CEOs' pockets.

The AHDI "lobbying for us?" - Surely you JEST!!!!

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You're KIDDING, right? Because everyone knows AHDI is the group lobbying for MORE WORK BEING SENT OFFSHORE. They are NOT on the side of the US transcriptionist. They are in bed with INDIA, PHILIPPINES, CHINA, and all the other countries who have siphoned off American work at our expense.

The best thing that could ever happen in our favor would be if AHDI were INVESTIGATED and put out of business.

You're just hurting yourself. Not everyone will do it and - there is offshore. nm

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nm

Strike? Count me in! - Zircon

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I make so little at this rotten profession that taking a week off work on strike wouldn't be taking away that much money - there was never much coming in anyway.

The most important aspect of going on strike isn't to force the companies to do something right away, becaust that won't happen. But what a nationwide, WELL-PUBLICIZED strike, with as much media coverage as possible, would get the word out to the masses who don't even know they have a medical record, let alone who types it, and it would also shine a great big media spotlight on an increasingly shady industry - MTSO. That in turn might get a skilled investigative reporter interested in pursuing the story further, and digging up more dirt to do a news show about, preferably in conjunction with the travesty of sending ANY American work offshore at a time when people are losing jobs and homes in this country at a record rate.

STRIKE? YEAH!!! BRING IT ON!

Strike - American MT

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I suppose patient care means nothing to you?? How would you feel if a loved one was lying on their death bed waiting for surgery or a medication but did without because the MTs were all on strike and didn't get a report back in time?

Yeah...now THAT would teach them a lesson, wouldn't it?!?!?!

Get real!

If you truly believe an MT strike could harm a - patient, then dont you think - sm

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that in order to insure such a healthcare disaster never occurred, that hospitals and our employers would want to make dammed sure we MTs were SATISFIED with our jobs?

STRIKE - DM

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Exactly. I am not suggesting a "sneak attack" - that would not accomplish any goal. I am suggesting a proposition sent from every MT willing to be involved to their employer, and yes, including medical editors and QA staff, that the employer truly recognize the importance of the medical record and not just the flowery verbiage they state in their ads to bring in clients - that if they truly recognize the importance of the record, and an accurate record, to pay for that record accordingly. Within that proposition, we state on (date) the employer will be given the opportunity to either begin compensating us respectfully (i.e. new contracts, etc.) or we will be unavailable to work on (date). So the opportunity is there for that employer to prove themselves as it should ultimately be their responsibility to protect that patient (record). It is obvious that many of the comments here are not coming from true MTs/CMTs - rather posers/probably those same employers we are talking about - why else would anyone post that they are not interested. Simply do not post.

Why do you assume that I am not MT - L

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Just because I would not be interested to strike. I have done this work probably longer than most have been born. When I needed extra money I never sat around on my behind WAITING for work to come to me. If I could not make a decent salary here, I would go SOMEWHERE else. No one makes people take these jobs, no one holds a gun to your head. If a person is taken advantage of it is on THEM. If you say you like your job you have to be an imposter or a plant or an owner. I am far from all that. Strike if you want but people who really have to work will not join in. I will not join in not due to the fact I have to work but because I have no issues with my pay, work, hours, company, etc. Have at it.

Strike? - American MT

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Amen to that!! I'm with you all the way....I've been an MT for well over 20 years. I have worked for bad companies, but when I found out they were bad...I changed jobs...without whining about it. I now work for a great company with good pay. I'm happy...so why should we strike. And, by the way, last time I checked...we had as much right to post as the complainer.

Sorry, but the subject has been discussed to death on these boards. - Will not work

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This has been mentioned and/or suggested so many times on these boards and you probably will not find a dozen people who would agree to a "strike." Too many people, MTs included, are really hurting financially right now. For every MT out there, I would guess there are probably 20 MTs in line waiting for their job, even at a lower rate. Out of 100,000 or so MTs nationwide, you would only reach about 10% of them on boards like these and they certainly are not going to be willing to risk their jobs. Even if they did, it would not change anything. Many MTs consider 8 cpl good pay if there is plenty of work. You can take 8 cpl and turn that into $40,000 a year if you are willing to work and transcribe more than the minimum 1,200 lines. If you only want to transcribe 1,200 lines on a FT basis, you should probably get out of the business.

The media thing has been done also. We have gone to senators, congressmen, and government officials, not to mention major newspapers, magazines, and talk shows. Not many people interested in our plight.

Quite honestly, there are many miserable MTs on these boards but there are just as many who are happy with their jobs, have good hours, plenty of work, and make good pay for the work they put it. Personally, I am just under $50,000 a year for 35-40 hours a week. Can't complain really. You are probably not going to find that with the big MTSOs, though. Eventually clients become dissatisfied with poor quality either from newbies or offshored work and they move on to a U.S. company. All of the U.S. companies fill their positions with top-notch MTs with good pay and hours. They do not overhire but they also do not hire that often because no one leaves their positions.

I believe a better move would be to encourage all MTs to support the U.S. Transcription companies when and if they can. They are very picky about who they hire. Quality of 98% or better is an absolute must! They provide endless work and very much need reliability in a transcriptionist. Believe it or not, that is also sometimes hard to find. If all of us reliable, hardworking, accurate and reliable old-timers fill those positions, that would leave newbies and less desired MTs to work for the offshoring companies - creating a lot of QA problems. I believe the cream always rises to the top!!

So have the subjects of low pay, MTSOs cheating - workers, not enough work, etc been

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discussed over and over, but what's the alternative? Just bend over and grab our ankles?

Looks like that is what YOU ARE CHOOSING to do. - NM

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x

No way. I plan to go down fighting all the way. - nm

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STRIKE - DM

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You sound as though you have been involved with something in the past that actually took off and was tried by your statement "The media thing has been done also. We have gone to senators, congressmen, and government officials, not to mention major newspapers, magazines, and talk shows. Not many people interested in our plight." I must have working as I missed it. (Yes, just being slightly sarcastic). I would like to know more of your past efforts in this regard - one learns from the efforts of others and perhaps picking up where someone left off...
Your suggestion of working for companies that claim to hire US based only transcriptionists is great. Unfortunately, I have found that even those companies who proclaim to do such, do not. Our jobs going to other countries is the major issue here - that has driven down any negotiating power we may have had - and it is only worse as time goes on. No, I will not be looking for a different career - I have worked long and hard in this one and do actually like the work. Getting reimbursed fairly and not living at the same wage I earned 10 years ago (talk tightening the belt so hard you could pop), is what is it all about. No, it is not a vendetta against my current employer - they are all the same - and there are lots of MTs in the same boat. I am sorry for those who post here so negatively. Myself, if I am not typing for my company (as I am not this instant) I am not paying my bills. So it is incredible to me those people would come on this thread and take their time to write - they must get paid by the hour. In any event, this is thread has been a seed that will not simply die.

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