From: jerry@lds-az.loral.com (J Barbera)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Re: scn compensation
Date: 10 Oct 92 05:22:49 GMT
Organization: Loral Defense Systems Arizona

>>>To add to a statement made by John regarding the $27 per week allowance for
>>>Sea Org members:
>>>
>>>First of all, the weekly allowance varies depending on training level up to
>>>$30 (the average for most) with something like $22.50 for new members still
>>>receiving basic training (and spending 5 hrs. per day in the course room).
>>>
>>>Next, it should be noted that SO members receive clothes, food, and
>>>berthing (place to sleep) ... all of which adds up when an average SO org
>>>such as AOLA has around two hundred staff.  In addition to buildings,
>>>office supplies, and so forth.
 
>>So, the S.O. pays poverty wages and so the vast majority of recruits
>>are of low education and thereby easier to indoctrinate.
>>You get what you pay for and the S.O. is full of poorly educated
>>heavily indoctrinated individuals.  One's first duties in the
>>S.O.  is 5 hours a day of basics, including how to read if needed.
>>Not exactly professional management staff.
 
J>"vast majority"?  That's quite a generalization.  And as an ex-SO member,
J>I take some offense at such a remark.  SO members are not generally of
J>"low education".  "full of poorly educated..." is simply not accurate.
J>Receiving $30 per week has no reflection on the education of the average
J>SO member.  Keep in mind that Scientology is a religion and that the Sea Org
J>consists of dedicated Scientologists.  They aren't there to make a profit.
 
>I too am ex-s.o.  The compensation for the work is extream poverty.
>I was as Pac Base (Hollywood) for three years, most of which
>was in treasury.  My org was SMI Int (Scientology Missions Int).
>The majority of "service organizations" are below the "make break
>point" - they are non viable businesses.  That is what the
>saint hill award is all about - becoming viable finacialy and
>productively.
 
"Extreme poverty"?  Actually, I know some people in mid to extreme poverty
and they would be quite happy with luxuries which SO members enjoy.  Food,
clothes, and shelter ... if not enough, is even added to with $30 a week and
an occasional bonus!
 
Yes, many orgs are barely making it.  However, in the end they do make (not
break).  This point is why I get quite annoyed by anti-Scientologists which
suggest that the orgs and their staff are getting rich off of the public.
 
>As pay is derived from a formula  for dividing up the weekly
>income, and the majority of "missions" and "churches" are financialy
>nonviable, the average pay in all of scientology is disgtustingly
>low.  The one area that I do not know first hand is the RTC
>(Top international management) but it would skew the curve.  Just
>go to any scn event and watch for the perks that int management
>and rtc have.
 
Although non-SO staff get variable pay, the point of this was the Sea Org.
They make (after Product 1), $30 a week.  RTC and other INT orgs should not
be an exception.  What perks have you seen?  Only perk I've seen was the
ceremonial dress uniform.  I have no problem with that, do you?
 
>In the time I was in the SO, The average age of new recruits
>was around 20.  Most of the  "professional" training that the
>SO recieve is the
>overly simplistic, rote learning continualy laced with the
>opinions of the old man.  Not exactly collage level learning to
>think.  Not exactly well trained professionals or the top in their
>fields.
 
The training is appropriate for the various posts people have in addition
to executive training such as the OEC/FEBC training.  It's not like
college stuff, yet it isn't suppose to be.  However, your original statement
was that the average SO member was poorly educated and in some cases
illiterate.  Do you still hold to that statement?
 
>Parts of scn are definately for profit.  Wise (the 1950s style
>business tech with real ethics removed and strangulation by
>statistic put in), Bridge Publishing (home of the sell is again, and
>again self delusion book), Author Services Inc (where junk is sold
>at colectors prices), and New Era Publications (the European
>version of Bridge pubs), Narconon (lets get all the cash from
>the drugies, alcoholics, and american indians), there must be more
>examples....
 
No argument here.  However, others should keep in mind that these
organizations are not part of CSI [Church of Scientology International]
and as such are not church organizations.  They are secular organizations
which use Scientology technology.