Like many other massage therapists, I was drawn to the career due to an interest in sports and a desire to work in professional sports. Throughout my almost 36 years of life, I have participated in some form of sport.
Elite sports can be hard to crack into, and it’s very much a who you know, not what.
When I started working for the Brumbies, I was sub-contracting to a company called Julia Russell Massage, which still exists today but is no longer run by Julia. There are now a few other companies that provide a similar service. Teams engage companies like this because it’s easier for them. They contact one person and tell them how many therapists they want and how many hours they need them for. The Company then organises the therapists and sends one invoice to the team, and the therapists invoice the Company. It’s convenient for the teams, but it means the therapists get paid an even lower rate than if they were working for the team directly.
Early on, I would say yes to all the jobs as I was still building up my private practice, I needed experience with athletes, and it’s good for networking with other therapists. There came a time when I was too busy in my clinic to say yes to these other jobs. I was okay with this because by then, the Brumbies had cut out the middle person, and the Raiders only used the middle person for the away games.
For my new readers, I am currently a full-time student, and I haven’t worked since I returned from Europe with Rowing Australia on the 11th of July. I’ve got time for casual work and could say yes to these companies for the sports work, but when I was contacted by two companies (one QLD based and the other Sydney based) two weeks ago, I declined; I’ll explain why.
Elite sports take advantage of the fact that lots of people want to work in elite sports, and therapists are underpaid. Companies try to lure you in with X sporting team, and then it’s followed with, you need to bring your table, your cream, and a couple of towels in case the hotel towels don’t arrive on time, and we will pay you $50 an hour to work 7.30-9.30 pm on a Friday or Saturday night.
The amounts these companies offer do not include superannuation. (Under the recent changes to ATO rules, an individual working with ABN is entitled to superannuation to their nominated super fund.)
Previously I would decline and cite that I was not available. But I have more time and energy to explain why I won’t work for these companies.
Dear Company,
It’s nice to meet you.
$50 an hour is well below my normal rate and below the rates offered to ACT therapists by other clubs.
I’m committed to improving work conditions (especially pay) for massage therapists and, as such, respectfully decline your invitation to work for X team.
Experienced therapists won’t work for less than $60 an hour, but new grads wanting experience usually take up the work; I was one of those a bit over ten years ago, and the rate was $40 an hour. It’s hard to believe some companies’ rates have only gone up $10 in 10 years when the cost of living and inflation is through the roof.
Regards,
Clare
The replies from the companies agreed with me and advised that they are working on it for future seasons. I suggested they work harder and perhaps work together on an agreed minimum rate. So regardless of what Company is being used, the minimum set rate is the same, which means the therapists will get paid the same (decent) wage. Some of my other suggestions were to charge the teams more and to have a tiered experience model to present to teams along the lines of if you want therapists with 10+ years experience, it will cost $; 5 to 10 years experience will be $; and student to 5 years will be $. It doesn’t make sense that I am being paid the same amount as a student or new grad. I also told them that my time is important and it’s simply not worth it for me to drive to the team hotel, work two hours, and drive back for a gross payment of $100, not to mention giving up my Friday or Saturday night.
One company owner told me getting the clubs to pay more for therapists is hard. This makes me question why clubs want to spend the bottom dollar for the treatment of their athletes, who are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars per season.
Speaking up can work because I was contacted by one of the companies to work this Saturday night, and they have offered to pay me $60 an hour. Desperation to fill the roles means they have no choice but to pay more. There is a greater risk to the Company of losing the team contract than to me declining the job.
Earlier in the Rugby season, similar happened with a QLD-based therapist who was sourcing therapists to work for the Brumbies’ opposition. Again he offered $50 an hour and said he could push it to $52.50. I replied and told him he would be hard-pressed to find a therapist who would work for under $60 an hour in Canberra.
When I landed in Dubai on my way to Italy, this therapist sent me a message asking if I could work on Friday night (he was asking with three days’ notice). He had then sent another message begging me to work and said he would pay me whatever I wanted. I told him I was away but forwarded the information to some Canberra contacts, emphasising that he said he would pay whatever you want.
Unfortunately, these companies and sports teams will always find someone to work for them for cheap (or sometimes free), which is why improvement in pay in sports has been slow.
Don’t get me wrong; I have worked for free, as recently as this year when I worked the game for the Brumbies in Brisbane. I was told that they didn’t have the budget to pay me. I said that’s fine. I love that team, and I was in Brisbane anyway, and if I weren’t working with them, I would have been sitting in the stands watching the game on my own. So not getting paid was worth it for me.
For now, though, I will continue to say no to the $ 50-an-hour jobs. Even $60 an hour is low, but it’s a step in the right direction. I have also encouraged other therapists to do the same, especially experienced therapists who should be paid more than $50 an hour. For current and new grad students, $50 to $60 an hour is probably okay. We still have a lot of learning to do when we are new graduates (and it doesn’t change for experience therapists either); palpation skills are something that we develop over time, and with shorter massage courses (the diploma is now 12 months which is half the time it was when I studied) there is even less hands-on before students graduate.
Pricing is a common topic of discussion in the massage industry. People often say, “I know what I’m worth”, but the reality is you’re worth what people are willing to pay.
You should start your own business with the tiered option and use ai to do the bookings/invoicing.
Good on you for standing your ground, knowing your worth and having the self-respect to accept no less.
Hopefully more people do the and band together because we are always so much stronger as a collective.
Good luck with the Olympics! I hat an amazing experience that would be!