Latest Connecticut News - Not Good!

[Delta Kits]

GlassBytes Article:

http://209.101.133.26/newscag042304.htm

I want everyone to read that twice.

For those that are impatient, the highlights are that the Connecticut board recommended that NO repairs are to be done in the driver's windshield wiper sweep.

Also, in order to be a full fledged repair tech, they are requiring that you be a "journeyperson" (which means an apprentice under a licensed repair tech) for two years before you can be on your own.

Needless to say, this would severely affect our industry. The board has recommended it, but the commissioner has not ruled yet. If this goes into effect, most think it is only a matter of time before other states start adopting it.

Right now, the NWRA needs everyone's support, because even if it goes through in Connecticut, maybe we can stop it from spreading.

[the big welshman]

With ref to the above . It does not look good I am in one of the two other states that do not have deductable on the glass. Some of the local glass association (MA) had been lobying down CT against windshield repair There will be a ripple effect to other states in the USA.To me this is a VICTORY for glass replacemet

[mafsu]

The NWRA's recommended license types though not endorsed by the committee were also sent to the commissioner. The following is from Glassbytes 4/26/04.

Second Draft of Conn.'s License Types Not Endorsed by Board, Still Recommended to Commissioner

On Friday, April 23, 2004, the Connecticut Auto Glass Board unanimously voted to recommend a draft of license types for automotive glasswork to the Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection. It was acknowledged that a second proposed draft of license types was considered and, though not endorsed by the Board, recommended to the Commissioner for review as well.


A second proposal, from the National Windshield Repair Association (NWRA), defined a limited [auto glass] repair contractor as one who "may perform work limited to the repair of damage occurring in laminated glass" in compliance with the standards set by the Board. The qualifications for the limited repair contractor license, as proposed by the NWRA remained the same as the draft the Board approved on Friday, though the definitions of what could be repaired were slightly different. The NWRA draft suggested a maximum of five (5) individual repairs to windshield and dropped the requirement of cracks longer than 6 inches be replaced rather than repaired. Additional differences included the rephrasing of the required training both in and out of the classroom to earn the limited [auto glass] repair journeyperson license, which eliminated the set number of hours and gave the Board authority to determine and adjust the amount of training time needed.


In the accepted draft, the Subcommittee defined a limited [auto glass] repair contractor as being licensed to make no more than four (4) total repairs to a windshield and requires two years of experience as a licensed journey person or the equivalent experience and training as determined by the Board. Additionally, the draft defined what constituted a repairable break as:


The impact point is not larger than 3/8 inch diameter;
The individual impact damage (not classified as "Combination Break") is not larger than 1 inch (or just slightly larger than a U.S. quarter);
A crack is 6 inches or less in length;
A combination break has cracks of less than 6 inches and the entire damage area can be completely covered by a U.S. dollar; and
Crack damage is not caused by "stress."

[StarQuest]

After reading Jeff's post today with the NWRA situation in Connecticut, I thought I'd make one last plea to get some more of you to join. To be honest, at times I have often wondered myself why I'm so interested in supporting this group. Last year I could've cared less about them. Current events have changed my mind. I have this strong feeling if we don't start getting involved right now....within one year it will be to late to have any positive effect. This organization is our only hope and needs our combined financial help to become successful. We all need to try and support their efforts and insure our future.

I also understand that some of you still share this feeling like "why bother joining cause things are going so well and who really cares" I quess my question to you would be? Why bother even taking your time helping out all of the newbies on this forum? Which you always do! What good is all your help without also fighting for their future?

I have to admit, last week was pretty good for me personally. I managed to go outside this forum and find 25 new member sign ups somewhere else. At least somebody out there is willing to fight your battles for you!

Just to let you know, I didn't even pay for my membership....it was free! I simply just used Coisters approach and asked for donations from some of my weekly accounts. They could have said no.....but to my surprize they all wrote checks. Something to consider?

Lets fight these battles together and not independently.

After today.....I promiss not to bug you guys on this subject again. Just give it one final last thought and try to make the right decision.

Thanks,

Keith

[gt_repair]

These guys are talking about us doing repairs and setting standerdsfor us. What about the replacement shops? I have seen some pretty $&*# replacements done in this town... To start with cutting the molding off and reusing it and charging the insurance or customer direct...
Were are their standerds going to lay. When SAFELESS sorry (safelite) can sent out a tech to do 15 windshields in one day... how good of work do you expect..
Were are they going to get their training? by a shop that will teach them the same shortcut so the new tech will never learn the right way to do a replacement .

[Repair1]

WELCOME TO THE GLASS BUSINESS #-o

I say glass business because like it or not the Windshield Repair Business comes from the Auto Glass industry. Unfortunately we inherit some of their problems. Insurance Company

[Delta Kits]

Blaming people is all well and good, but the point is, we need to do something.

A lot of you don't want to join the NWRA, for whatever reason. Obviously, joining is one way to help our industry. For those of you that don't want to join, I have a question.

What will YOU do to help this industry to survive this attack?

[Repair1]

I

[Delta Kits]

Repair1,

I was more speaking in general about blaming, due to many emails I have received in addition to opposition here on the forum...

I understand what you're saying about fighting in your backyard, and I think a lot of people feel the way you do.

Unfortunately, these things tend to have a cascading effect once there is a precedent set in one state. It's much easier to fight it when it's only being proposed, or when it's only in one or two states.

By the time it gets to Utah, and say 25 states already have this law, how hard of a fight will it be?

It's much easier for all the techs to get together to fight this in it's infancy, instead of waiting until it's in everyone's backyard and each person fighting it individually.

After all, when it's in Repair1's backyard, Coitster (as an example), is still a long way away, so he'll wait until it gets to his backyard. It's much easier to pick off each state individually, rather than facing a coordinated attack from windshield repair techs nationwide.

Other people who are opposed to supporting the NWRA, how do you plan to support the industry that puts your food on the table?

[desertstars]

This is not a guestion of "opposing" support for the NWRA.

Not in my humble opinion.

This is a question of the reverse.

I prefer to SUPPORT an organization whose best interests and number one intention is to protect REPAIR techs that hasn't been either captured or infiltrated by REPLACEMENT interests.

In that regard, I notice that my prior suggestion as to forming an ad hoc committee within the NWRA comprised of repair ONLY techs in order to deal with our particular problems was completely ignored.

Adding a spoke to the existing wheel so to speak rather than trying to re-invent the wheel as some anologies have suggested.

I am still waiting for the pros and cons relating to that.

I will not denigrate nor ignore the recent efforts of the NWRA to shoot down the recent insidious CT successful atempt to limit our industry in that state.

But to assume that any windshield company whose primary business is replacement that supports the NWRA's efforts immediately raises a red flag in my mind.

Especially when they donate $2500 bucks to the cause thank you very much.

It is to the advantage of replacement oriented shops to promote repair while at the same time limiting repair areas.

A fact that they discovered after realizing we were here to stay and not to be ignored, cut down, and laughed at for so many years.

After all, how can one bait and switch if the bait isn't there in the first place?

I don't suggest not joining the NWRA and never have suggested that.

My stance has been simple and straightforward from the start.

I want the replacement-oriented glass shops and the windshield manufacters completely divorced from determining any policy and ejected from our business and the NWRA and I make no bones about that.

I'll join the NWRA the minute that criteria is accomplished and forget about making changes from within because that's been tried before in other bureaucratic orgainizations by others much more competent that I.

I ain't got the patience,

And, that's my two cents worth.