May 13, 2022—A demonstration and motorcade is scheduled for May 18 in response to a state hearing in Massachusetts on labor rate reimbursement for collision repairs.
According to a press release, the demonstration will include auto body shop owners, employees, vo-tech students, family members and supporters. There will also be a motorcade of flatbed trucks with damaged vehicles on top circling the area. It will take place in front of the State House.
This group is protesting low reimbursement rates set by insurance companies. Labor rates have increased $10 since 1988 while the Consumer Price Index has gone up by 137.7 percent. Insurance premiums have increased by 254 percent.
“It’s tremendously unfair to consumers who pay thousands of dollars in premiums to have their insurance companies tell them they’re not going to cover the cost of their repairs. We’ve done our best to bring attention to this issue, but at this point we need to make it clear to insurers and consumers that we cannot do this work at the current reimbursement rates,” says Brian Bernard, co-owner of Total Care Accident Repair in Raynham, Massachusetts according to the press release.
A report issued on April 13 by the Special Commission on Auto Body Labor Rates outlines the issues that need a vote by the state legislature to rectify.
The Collision Course event, led by the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts, is scheduled for May 18 at 10:30 a.m. There will be many speakers at the demonstration including state representatives, auto body professionals and more.
