The Fight for a Fair Labor Rate: Why Your Voice at the Advisory Board Matters

by Matthew Ciaschini, AASP/MA President

If you’re reading this, congratulations – you’re already ahead of most shop owners who still think the labor rate fairy is going to swoop in and magically fix Massachusetts’ broken system. (Spoiler alert: she’s not. She’s unionized and on strike.)

On a serious note, our industry is at a critical crossroads. As many of you know, the newly formed Auto Body Labor Rate Advisory Board (ABLRAB) has begun its work. (Learn all about it on page 16 of this issue.) This Board is tasked with something that should have been addressed decades ago: examining, evaluating and recommending a fair and sustainable labor reimbursement rate for collision repairs in Massachusetts.

For far too long, insurers have dictated rates that don’t even come close to keeping up with the real cost of doing business – never mind attracting new, qualified technicians into our field. The result? Shops struggling, talent shortages growing and a service that becomes harder and harder for consumers to access at the quality they deserve.

The Advisory Board is our opportunity to change that. But – and this is a big BUT – it will only succeed if we show up, speak up and stay in the fight.

What is the Auto Body Labor Rate Advisory Board?

The Board was created through legislative action to address the elephant in the repair bay: Massachusetts has had the lowest auto body labor reimbursement rate in the country for years. It exists to: Review the current labor rate. Evaluate market conditions, cost of living, technician wages, shop overhead and consumer impacts. Recommend a new rate that reflects today’s reality – not 1988’s.

Now, before you get too excited, remember: the Board’s recommendations are just that – recommendations. They are not automatic mandates. Which means we have to fight to make sure the recommendations are strong, accurate and supported by undeniable facts. And we need to hold feet to the fire afterward to turn those recommendations into action.

Why Your Participation Matters – Seriously!

Here’s the deal: Insurers will be at every meeting.

They will have their lawyers, their lobbyists, their “experts” who will somehow manage to argue that the cost of living in Massachusetts has magically not gone up since the Reagan administration.

We must be there to counter it – professionally and respectfully but with overwhelming facts and presence. 

•  Zoom meetings: If you can’t physically attend, get on Zoom. Having 100-plus industry people logged in sends a massive message that we are organized and watching. 

•  Public hearings: When we call for turnout, show up. We need bodies in the room. If the room is half empty, it sends a message we can’t afford to send.

This isn’t just about “someone else” doing the heavy lifting. If you’re not willing to defend your business, your employees and your future, why would anyone else?

How We Are Approaching It

As an association, we’ve done the groundwork. We’ve compiled real data: weighted averages of labor rates, market share analyses, comparisons to neighboring states, CPI increases and the true cost escalation for shops since the 1980s. We’ve built the case carefully – every number footnoted, every argument backed up.

We are not showing up to meetings with emotion and anecdotes.

We are showing up with spreadsheets, charts, historical facts and economic realities — the kind of irrefutable evidence that leaves the other side scrambling to invent creative excuses.

Our strategy is simple: Be professional but relentless. Stick to the facts. Counter misinformation immediately. Stay visible. Stay involved. Stay unified.

The insurers’ game plan is obvious: delay, distract, diminish. Ours needs to be equally clear: push, press, prevail.

The Uphill Battle – and Why We Must Climb It Anyway

Let’s not kid ourselves. This is Massachusetts. Insurance companies have had their hands deep in the pockets of Beacon Hill for a long, long time. There will be resistance. There will be absurd arguments made with a straight face. (“Maybe shops should just become more efficient and not worry about fair wages” – yeah, we’ve heard that one.)

But here’s the thing: they are scared. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be working so hard to spin the narrative.

We have the truth, the facts and – most importantly – the people on our side. Consumers deserve access to safe, quality repairs. Shops deserve to be compensated fairly for the work they do. Technicians deserve to earn a wage that makes staying in this industry a viable career.

This isn’t just about a “raise” for shops. It’s about survival – for all of us.

Closing Rally Cry: Get Involved, or Get Left Behind

You don’t have to be the loudest voice in the room. You just have to be in the room (or in the Zoom). Every shop owner, every technician, every estimator, every supplier has a role to play. Our opposition counts on apathy. Let’s disappoint them.

When we fight smart and fight together, we will win. And when we win, the future of our industry – and our livelihoods – will be stronger for it.

See you at the next meeting. No excuses.

Want more? Check out the June 2025 issue of New England Automotive Report!