[fred cook]

Back in the mid 1970s, I worked as a mechanic in a specialty shop that repaired and maintained Alfa Romeos. The "line" mechanics worked on the flat rate hour basis but I worked on a salary basis. What was the difference? I did most of the engine building for the shop. After just a little while, I had gotten organized enough to build 2-3 engines per week since the work was basically repetitive. The guys doing the repair and maintenance work had to deal with unexpected things that would pop up and take up their time. On the other hand, they all had "tricks of the trade" that would allow them to save several hours (in some cases) over book time and make more money. They were happy with how they got paid, I was happy with the way I got paid! Most important, the shop made money so it stayed in business for years!