I bust my hump on principle. If I agree to do a job at a certain price, I do it. Then once I've shown what I can do, after a time, I'll ask for a raise. If I don't get one, I'll still work till I either get a raise or move on.
I can't stand dorkin off. Work hard, play hard, but don't get the two mixed up.
Of course, I love this work, so I'm at a sore disadvantage...to be sure.
Nevertheless, I can explain the situation a bit more.
If this crew is by the hour then the cost of maintenance is higher. Even if the power company is none the wiser, they will still pass this cost on to the consumer.
If they are on a firm bid, then the tree company suffers the theft. Yet if the work isn't getting done, then it still costs the consumers as the unfinished areas will continue to withstand outages that would otherwise be avoided. That costs money, and that cost will get passed on.
Either way, it is still theft, not making a living.