Just throwing my 2 cents in as an automotive technician in Arizona. Flag rate, wether at the stealerships or chain stores, doesn't seem to be able to pay the bills consistently. I have regularly worked 42+ hours a week for the last 3 months and make less now as a technician than I did on the lube rack despite a $2 bump in the pay rate. But oh, that's right I'm paid by the flag hour now. They sell it as a way to get lots more hours by completing more jobs. However, there have been several days here and there where I have literally had no cars in the shop for hours at a time, or instances where a part is on back order (or customer supplied the wrong part) and then the ticket doesn't close out for a week (or more) while it sits in the lot. I really like the guys I work with in the shop, but fuck I am feeling really burnt right now.
TLDR: Why can't people pay a fair wage and let us work without punishing all the techs for doing what they enjoy?