ASE certified/pay/benefits

[skm]

I was wondering what the general census on ASE certifications vs. pay and benefits? I have been working at the same shop for 24 years. I am an ASE master tech , L1 , State Inspection License, and Master Emission Repair License . I am paid 50 percent commission with 10 days paid vacation, about 40% towards my health insurance, no paid holidays or sick leave.Also no kind of retirement I work along side a 21 year old with no certifications or schooling who really knows nothing I help him with all his diagnostics and repairs, I also work along side an older guy also no schooling or certifications who also knows almost nothing , he tends to do engine and trans swaps (which take him a very very long time to complete) both of these fellow employees are paid the same as me 50%. I am very passionate on doing the job correctly the first time and I follow the labor guides to the tee. These other guys make up prices and really rip customers off never really solving problems. This drives me up a wall. I have tried over and over to drill it into the owners head about taking care of a customer honestly and fairly and having them come back over and over again for other repairs instead of just trying to get as much as you can at one time.. but of course it tends to fall on deaf ears. I always tell him the business is only as good as the weakest link. Is this just where I work or is this where the industry is trending? Nobody seems to want to learn the trade anymore everyone is a "technician" I am seriously thinking of starting my own business to give the public a fair and proper facility to get repairs done. Am I alone in this thinking or is it the trend? Does everyone pay their employees the same no matter skill level, certification level, and experience?

[phynny]

I would have walked long ago. That's definitely not the norm.

 

 

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[Joe Marconi]

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[skm]

 

Most shops do pay their employees based on their level of expertise, among other factors. A master tech with L1 in my shop and in the shops that I know, gets paid more that an entry level tech or a tech without that certification.

 

Any business has to take into account the qualifications of a particular tech.

 

Another point to consider; when an employee sees that the others around him are not pulling their weight or don't have the same passion or integrity, a breakdown on morale will occur.

 

What really bothers me is the questionable tactics you point out with the other techs. That is something I would not stand for.

 

You are in a tough spot, perhaps it's time for another sit-down with the shop owner, or time to move on.

thanks for the reply. Well for sure the morale has changed, It kills me to see what these guys do. I give the young guy hell all the time about it, he tends to do better when I am there but they work Saturday and some Sundays which I do not do and im sure they rip people off those days. They don't seem to understand you customer is your business! As you know I am not an owner, I would love to be though. My thoughts are that a person off the street "lube tech" should do oil changes, change light bulbs, tires etc. and should be paid something like 400.00 a week salary before taxes. Then to me an entry level tech is someone that has finished some sort of automotive repair school, they should be paid slightly higher, maybe even commissioned at say 30% then as they become better and more certified a raise in percentage should be given (would need to work out a scale for certifications vs percentage of pay) . That being said someone like my self fully certified with inspection license , L1, and Master emission license should get 50% and maybe even a little extra such I don't know I am not a owner or have actually run a business, but think if I was an owner that is the kind of person I would want to employ and keep happy .

[alfredauto]

Most guys in your position start their own shops for reasons you touched on. The irony is running a business doesn't leave much time to wrench on cars.