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Does "AMTA" stand for "Arrogant Massage Therapy Association?"

AMTA sent out the following email to Illinois members bashing ABMP:

 

Friday, April 15, 2011

Urgent Call to Action

Call Your Illinois House Representatives TODAY!

Ask Them to Support SB 153

SB 153 (Extends the Massage Licensing Act, or ?MLA?) passed in the Senate (55-0) on Friday, April 8th, 2011. On Tuesday, April 12th, the bill was assigned to the House Healthcare Licensing Committee and is sponsored by Rep. Angelo ?Skip? Saviano.

To get to this point, The Massage Licensing Board (MLB) met on February 28th for a regularly scheduled open board meeting. All stakeholders in the profession are highly encouraged to attend and the AMTA always has representation at these meetings. Here, the MLB voted unanimously to increase the minimum education requirement for licensure to 750 hours effective January 1, 2016. This does not affect current massage therapy licensees and is only applicable to those entering the profession on January 1, 2016 or later. 

There is now opposition from the Association for Bodyworkers and Massage Professionals (ABMP). ABMP will oppose Senate Amendment #2 which allows for the increase in the minimum hours of education. There was a last-minute effort to oppose SB 153 in the Senate, which failed. Therefore, the ABMP has hired a high-profile and well recognized lobbyist to oppose the bill. 
Please consider that: 

? The MLB and the AMTA Illinois Chapter supports an increase in education as this is the National trend. Currently 14 states exceed the 500 hour requirement. 
? As Illinois licensees, we should respect the mindful deliberation and decision of the MLB as they are the governing body of our profession and, as massage therapists, are best equipped to determine the needs of public protection. 
? The AMTA is a not-for-profit organization with a state chapter structure. The AMTA Illinois chapter fights to protect the rights of the licensed massage therapist, fair practice rights and the profession. Our chapter, and it?s volunteers, has a distinguished history of being invested and engaged in the profession and guiding it forward. The ABMP is a for-profit organization located in Colorado that, until now, has not participated in this state legislative process or other issues impacting your profession. It is ABMP staff that has inserted their voice into the governance of Illinois practitioners. 

The AMTA Illinois Chapter supports SB 153 as written in its entirety, which includes the recommendation of the Massage Licensing Board to increase the number of educational hours and which passed the Senate unanimously by the Illinois Senate. 

Therefore, we urge you to take these steps: 

............

 

Basically, Illinois licensees have to shut up and just go with what AMTA and the licensing board say, and ABMP, although it is the largest association in the country, should not be involved because they are from Colorado?

 

Is this the height of arrogance or what?  Who wrote this letter?  Is this for real?  Can someone from AMTA come out and say this is a fake??  

 

 

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Comment by Alexei Levine on April 15, 2011 at 9:00pm
In my state, Massachusetts, the AMTA hires a lobbyist to attend every board meeting.  I'm very glad to hear that the ABMP is fighting back.  I think a cartel has formed.  Cartels are illegal by the way.

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