Jim Warman Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 it's time for a career change.... As shop foreman, one of my particular duties appears to be "taking one for the team" with some regularity. Now, it ain't all THAT terrible bad when we consider that I am straight time and OT has me close to $60 per hour.... but it can get old. Yesterday wasn't my Saturday to work, but one of my techs is on his honeymoon so what could I do but work his shift???? I did my day and went home to do some siding on my house. When the sun finally waned (about 11:30 PM at this time of year) I returned to work to change the cluster on an F53. Now, the way they mount this thing is to screww it to a plastic plate and glue the plastic plate to the instrument cluster trim panel... but they appear to get a little liberal with the glue.... OK... these folks will be royally p*ssed at me because, out of frustration, the motor home got put on the back burner... Tonight is an F550 for four wheel brakes, spindle service and front axle u-joints.... If I can pull this off, I will only have one customer p*ssed at us rather than two (we do work in a situation of "degrees" - don't we?).... Now... here's the question.... will any of you deadbeats move to the land where men are men and sheep are nervous? I apologize to Kieth since this might have been better placed in the jobs listing, but my two flat rate diesel guys will make 6 digits this year - WITHOUT working the kind of hours I get stuck with... FWIW, the DP takes the company bobcat to my house and clears the snow from my driveway for me.... My life is an oxymoron... it sucks to be me but it's still pretty damned good.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselD Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 I have asked myself this same question but I always come back with the question what would I do to make the same money? IT sucks we get into a way of living relying on that next paycheck and its really hard to go back down the latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAKE_MORSE Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 If my wife would pull away from her familyand her job to relocate I would be standing on your front step right now with a gauge bar in hand ready to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 One (me) always wonders if the grass is greener on the other side of the praries... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony302600 Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 If my wife would pull away from her familyand her job to relocate I would be standing on your front step right now with a gauge bar in hand ready to work. LMFAO @ "with gauge bar in hand" How the hell can ure techs make 6 figures...... I must be doing something wrong. How many turbo cleanings is that a week? LoL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted June 20, 2007 Author Share Posted June 20, 2007 Well, Tony... it starts with the pay... A Master tech earns $36 per flat rate hour... Flag 100 hours or more in a pay period (two pay periods per month) and there's an extra $2 bonus for each and every hour.... We have three diesel techs, including yours truly, so not just one guy gets a steady diet of tough to meet SLTS. We have a very healthy retail business.... Our main local industries are logging and oilfield... this assures us of a steady diet of brakes, ball joints, spindle services and more. On top of that, we are usually booked two weeks in advance. My vacation starts at months end - they stopped booking for me a week ago. Work 6 hours every fourth Saturday and the guys will usually work three or sometimes even four evenings per pay if the job is gravy. Still skeptical??? One local independant and the local Chevy dealer are looking for techs and offering $40 per hour - that's $37.58USD at todays exchange rate. Yeah, a guy has to apply himself a bit to make six digits... but three of us do and our sole senior tech is hot on our heels... We don't do flushes.... period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmlew Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Typed a long reply and the freaking site ate it... What is a "Master Tech" in Canada? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 What is a "Master Tech" in Canada? I believe (someone correct me if I'm wrong) it is the same as your Senior Master in the States. When we get 4 specialties, we are a Senior Technician, and when you get 8 (or more) you are a Master. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Typed a long reply and the freaking site ate it... Gail, could you send me a Private Message explaining what happened? Sometimes the server gets whacky and if I am going to bitch to the hosting company I need to know what is happening. It happens to me sometimes too! did you get an error message or the infamous "Internal Server Error!" message? /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/shrug.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmlew Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Originally Posted By: ktmlew What is a "Master Tech" in Canada? I believe (someone correct me if I'm wrong) it is the same as your Senior Master in the States. When we get 4 specialties, we are a Senior Technician, and when you get 8 (or more) you are a Master. Hate to admit I've forgotten what the "specialties" are to make Senior' Master? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 At my old dealer in SC we had two guys that made between 90k and 110k every year, while the average was 45k. They hustled their ass off. One was the typical flat rate animal, he signed up for evey recall that came down the pipe, and he pulled every wheel on every recall. We called him total recall, but he killed us every week when it came to hours turned. The other tech did straight up diag and tough problems, but he worked smarter not harder and he put his extra time in when needed. So it can be done. I am a break even guy, but I sleep good at night and my constitution is at ease, no ulcers, and my bills get paid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselD Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Jim, maybe its time for me to become candian! wish Arizona paid that well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share Posted June 22, 2007 Now would be a good time... Alberta is in a real labour crunch, right now. Nearly impossible to find anyone in ANY trade... It costs a little more to live here but that is more than offset by the wage packages offered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony302600 Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Jim, maybe its time for me to become candian! wish Arizona paid that well! And Chicago too..... we are slow the diesels now, and im not to happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGLR13MWZ Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 There are dealerships in Houston where half of the techs are making over 100K. I thoguht some were pulling my leg, butI talked to a service manager the other day and he said he has 14 techs, 7 of them will make over 100K this year. I do have to say, he has some of the best techs in the area though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. Bedford Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 No offense, but asking a service manager about technician pay is akin to asking a car salesman what your fuel mileage is gonna be. I make very good money where I am at but the lack of parts on hand, tool situation and shop politics make it a hard trade-off for the cash. You know what I mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGLR13MWZ Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 #1 I am not a tech so he has no reason to lie to me. Dont work at the dealership. #2 I have a solid professional relationship with him. He always shoots me straight. No politics and parts are always on hand in Houston. Dealer to dealer business is common and friendly. Need a part and the dealer doesnt have it? He can in about 2 hours almost always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyf Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Maybe I should go there.Why did you move to Vermont? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 My wife is from Vermont, so now that means I am from Vermont. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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