What the hell is going on with shops?

..... It is COMMON in shops for a single tech to write up 16 hours worth of work in the day and then work 9-5......

The shop may see that high labor rate, the technician doesn't. He gets paid way less, that is why he books 16 hours in a 8 hour day. When I was turning wrenches it was usually six days with no more than 12 hours a day. Sometimes I was working on two cars the same time while waiting for parts. If you don't hussle like that your not going to make in this business. Twenty years ago I was making 12.00 an hour and then I think the shop labor rate was 45-50.