All they want is more steady hours. Instead of offering a change pertaining to the issue, a committee decided to offer them a 5% salary increase every year for the next three years. The mechanics turned that down fairly quickly. Automotive News covered the story, and here's what they had to say about it:
The union is mainly pushing for a guaranteed 40-hour work week, a change [Chicago Automobile Trade Association president David] Sloan said could eliminate the current system, which rewards a dealership’s most productive technicians with more hours.
Dealerships have “draconian pay structures prohibiting our ability to attract young, aspiring mechanics to enter the auto repair profession,” according to a statement released by the union.
Unattractive pay rates coupled with the inability to progress or achieve a long-term profession in the field are drivers of mechanic frustration, said Sam Cicinelli, Local 701 directing business representative, in the statement.
Hopefully they come to an agreement very soon, or Chicago residents will slowly begin losing their vehicles due to major repairs that cannot be fixed.
