The Witch Hunt Begins

[human5]

So yesterday at work I just found out that every Mechanic's hours are now being watched closely. Management thinks that we arn't that productive and are looking to see why it takes so long to do certain jobs. They were asking me yesterday why it took me 40 min. to do an oil change on a Dodge Nirtro 4wd. I told them to go try to change the oil on that motor when the filter is littlerally blocked by the rack and pinion. They also want us to punch out a work order when we go smoke, eat or use the restroom.

I was also talked to about my productivity from last week. Management questioned why I only did 20 oil changes last week. I told them it was cause they were having me go out and wash cars almost every day because the car washer's arn't keeping up. They had some smug reply saying that I should have been able to do more than that. I flat out told them that if they knew how to manage and train thier employee's I wouldn't have to be washing cars in the first place.

Needless to say, I'm looking for a new job. The shop I work at isn't cutting it and I'm not making enough. In fact, I'm working 2 jobs just to make ends meet. Luckily today is my only day off and I'm about to head out to put in some applications at a few dealerships. I don't really want to work at a dealer but, one of the guys I go to school with said he makes about 500 to 600 a week doing oil changes, tires and other small work.

Thats my rant, I'm done.

 

[chittybangbang]

Just think in 30 years and you'll retire.I'd say its time to look for another job.If they want you to clock out for a smoke,man o man.

 

[Simple_serf]

Welcome to my world.

People think that because we don't work with customers we just sit on our ass. What's funny is that these are the people who work 8 - 430 (including the employee rep) and have no clue what our job is. I personally think that we do pretty good, all things considered. In the last 3 months I have put in about 10 work reqs for our floor scrubbers and I am still waiting for 7 of them to be completed (I NEED the parts!!!). Even with all of these problems We are still running all 4 machines and getting the job done. It's just a little difficult when the batteries in our 5300 only last 45 minutes (should last 5 hrs).

No matter what this time of year, Fulltimers aren't allowed more than 40 hrs..you leave arly if you hit 40 (even if the job isn't done)...then they bitch because you left early. Oh well...It's a job, and those are hard to find around here now.

 

[red85]

I completely get where you're coming from. I work on flat rate though. If I'm not turning a wrench I'm not making money. Hourly would be nice when things are a little slow, but in the long run, I make more this way.

 

[97BlackBetty]

Ouch. I know that where I work, you do not have to clock out for breaks less than 20 minutes. You are entitled to take one if you so desire every 4 hours. For breaks 20-30 minutes you need to clock out and you are entitled to one for every 6 hours of work. It works out pretty well, but I dont take advantage of them to much. Although I do enjoy "schmooing" on the job. And this time of year there is usually just one person working at a time. So my 30 minutes are paid for but at the same time I dont really get one.
Justin

 

[LearjetMinako]

I've been in the boat. I know exactly what you mean on the Dodge Nitro's. Bad spot for an oil filter. Easy to get to, but a mess to clean up. But I've done enough time saving and loyal service to an extent that if I call in sick, the sky must be falling.

 

[Thumper113]

So yesterday at work I just found out that every Mechanic's hours are now being watched closely

That usually happens for one of two reasons

1) The shop is losing money

2) Some mechanics are milking the time clock which makes it bad for the ones that aren't milking it because everyone gets watched (which can revert back to reason #1)

Best way to solve that is to find a shop where you can work on flat rate. That seperates the slackers from the producers because if you ain't working on something, you ain't making any money. But another serious issue can arise from that...........dishonest mechanics that will flag a job that wasn't actually performed just to accumulate hours on their flag sheet (I've turned in so-called techs like that & fired a few for it when I was a shop foreman). However, if you earn your hours in an honest way & perform your job properly, you'll build a good rep for yourself & have customers that only let YOU touch their vehicle and you'll be able to sleep good at night and you'll have a decent paycheck.

Only thing about oil changes on flat rate is, most shops around here give you 0.3 or 0.4 hr. for oil changes. Every 0.1 hr. equals 6 minutes. So you'll be busting your hump all day pulling cars in & out just to get a good days worth of flag hours. At our dealership, all techs are on flat rate but the lube guy punches a time clock so he's monitered from time to time. Some shops give upsell spiffs to the lube guy when he measures the brake linings, points out fluid leaks, etc to the service writer. If the writer can upsell it, the shop gives the lube tech a 10% spiff on the labor sale for whatever job. Our lube guy averages around $1200 bring home pay every two weeks because he gets spiffs. It gets him extra money, it gets me extra work so I get more money, it gets more money for the service dept because that's work that didn't get overlooked like it would at a Quick-Lube type place. The best part is, he's honest & doesn't try to upsell anything it doesn't need. But there are quite a few shops out there that are very dishonest & it gives all shops a bad name...........That chaps my ass & that's why I've done everything in my power to get rid of guys like that, that end up in my shop & will continue to do so.

Good luck on your job hunting I hope it works out for you.

 

[Ozwynn]

I couldn't even fathom having to punch a time clock again or not be able to take a break when i wanted too....... perks of being self employed, as long as I get the job done on time nobody cares how I do it.

 

[LearjetMinako]

That usually happens for one of two reasons

1) The shop is losing money

2) Some mechanics are milking the time clock which makes it bad for the ones that aren't milking it because everyone gets watched (which can revert back to reason #1)

Best way to solve that is to find a shop where you can work on flat rate. That seperates the slackers from the producers because if you ain't working on something, you ain't making any money. But another serious issue can arise from that...........dishonest mechanics that will flag a job that wasn't actually performed just to accumulate hours on their flag sheet (I've turned in so-called techs like that & fired a few for it when I was a shop foreman). However, if you earn your hours in an honest way & perform your job properly, you'll build a good rep for yourself & have customers that only let YOU touch their vehicle and you'll be able to sleep good at night and you'll have a decent paycheck.

Only thing about oil changes on flat rate is, most shops around here give you 0.3 or 0.4 hr. for oil changes. Every 0.1 hr. equals 6 minutes. So you'll be busting your hump all day pulling cars in & out just to get a good days worth of flag hours. At our dealership, all techs are on flat rate but the lube guy punches a time clock so he's monitered from time to time. Some shops give upsell spiffs to the lube guy when he measures the brake linings, points out fluid leaks, etc to the service writer. If the writer can upsell it, the shop gives the lube tech a 10% spiff on the labor sale for whatever job. Our lube guy averages around $1200 bring home pay every two weeks because he gets spiffs. It gets him extra money, it gets me extra work so I get more money, it gets more money for the service dept because that's work that didn't get overlooked like it would at a Quick-Lube type place. The best part is, he's honest & doesn't try to upsell anything it doesn't need. But there are quite a few shops out there that are very dishonest & it gives all shops a bad name...........That chaps my ass & that's why I've done everything in my power to get rid of guys like that, that end up in my shop & will continue to do so.

Good luck on your job hunting I hope it works out for you.

Guess I'm one the lube guys from a different shop that gets your shop more business. I usually have to point out problems to customers, but unfortunely our shop can't do those kind of repairs.

$1200 average flat rate in two weeks. . I barely pull $500 working on a hourly rate.

 

[Thumper113]

Guess I'm one the lube guys from a different shop that gets your shop more business. I usually have to point out problems to customers, but unfortunely our shop can't do those kind of repairs.

$1200 average flat rate in two weeks. . I barely pull $500 working on a hourly rate.

It's the lube guy that makes that. He punches a clock & he's there from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm Mon-Fri then he works every Saturday from 8:00 to 1:00 so between his regular hours, overtime pay & spiffs, he does pretty good.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I worked flat rate for a while and i absoultly hated it.

Reason being, if they give you an hour to work on a job, and it takes you 45minutes to get a stubborn bolt out, or etc, youve got 15 mins to finish the job, and then your doing it for free.

I dont know about you but i dont like working for free.

Gimmie an hourly job anyday.

later,
Dustin

 

[Carlos Murphy]

no clue manegers

I put in my 33 years (BMW), first dealership (3 1/2 yrs in Santa Monica) paid 50% of all labor, great job, great pay.

Last dealership (20 years in San Mateo) was union, good pay, security, great at first but when the shop became computerized and so did the cars, all hell broke loose. Suddenly we were bombarded with ER's (efficiency reports) and CSI's (customer satisfaction index)
They would post these reports on the wall in dispatch as a way to intimidate us. The factory required the dealer to send all techs to school in LA (from SF) at least once a year, most of the time it was boring and most schools were 5 days long. If the dealer thought you weren't worth sending to school you didn't go.
When I retired in 03, shop computers were tied into the factory computers and when a tech was assigned to a work order the computer would tell the dispatcher weather or not he was qualified to do the job according to his school record.
As far as management goes, they think good techs are a dime a dozen and you can be replaced by the guy at the gas station down the street.

 

[Ozwynn]

thats how management veiws labor in all industries.

in the trucking industry you 2 positions that generate revenue. the drivers and the sales staff.

but drivers and sales people are expendable and a dispatcher that pisses of 50 drivers and causes them all to quit so there are 50 empty trucks is promoted.

 

[rickcdewitt]

the shop i worked at started asking how many rubber gloves i was going through and other petty stuff trying to spy on the bodyshop( the business is going down the tubes due to the cost of chemical contamination from a gas station on site).i got disgusted and quit since the management would rather mess with the little guys than fire their long term employee's who drink do speed and meth and waste lots of materials on the job.i switched professions since i coulde'nt find a local shop without cranksters or drunks.when you start to get that feeling its time to move on with out torching your bridges too badly.

 

[rickcdewitt]

a dispatcher that pisses of 50 drivers and causes them all to quit so there are 50 empty trucks is promoted.

those asses get promoted and the guys doing the work get canned