Things Sure Have Changed

[Bill]

This was an original um’ service reminder sent to a customer. I wonder if the techs were on flat rate:-)

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• CarService1928_2013-06-12.jpg

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[Bluesnut]

Thank you for posting the letter. That kind of thing is always absolutely fascinating to read in my opinion.

I know for a fact that around here back in 1970 the dealers had door labor rates of around 7 dollars a flat rate hour with mechanics getting about 2.50-3.00 an hour on flat rate at most.
My memory is not very good on this but I think that Henry Ford was the guy who came up with the flat rate pay system and in 1928 any flat rate pay would have been in dimes.

The Royal Gorge Bridge was built in Colorado way back around that time and the plaque I read said that the construction workers earned 30 cents an hour; all while hanging on the edge of a 1000 foot deep gorge.

[Bill]

Yeah…….Let’s blame Henry Ford for flat rate. LoL

Thanks for your comments.

[Rob megee]

That is very cool. An engine overhaul that is $25!

I don’t understand how mechanics are being paid now. I worked in the 70s and 80s and we were paid hourly and commission. We billed by book time and most technicians with good tools could beat book time. How does flat rate work? Sounds like a new guy could starve on flat rate.

[Jameson]

New techs dont typically get pain flat rate. Usually hourly only. Some places will pay hourly plus flag, which can be decent if the shop is busy and you are relatively fast.

flat rate or flag hour is straight commission. You get your pay rate for every “book time” hour you flag. IF it pays 3.7 you get 3.7 times your hourly rate even if it takes you 5 hours.

So yeah less experienced techs or new techs to a shop could potentially starve. Dealerships sometimes starve techs they dont like and give all the gravy to others so I hear. It can be a frustrating pay system depending on where you work

[Willo]

found this thread right after watching ETCG1 Vintage parts video.
Nice images wysetech

[quote=”wysetech” post=63566]Yeah…….Let’s blame Henry Ford for flat rate. LoL

Thanks for your comments.[/quote]
heheh
I’ll bet that is also why people in Detroit generally respond differently to the word satisfactory then people in most other parts of the country do.

[Author]

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