is it just me, or am i not getting paid enough

[richard88]

hello,

i've been a member for a little while now, but i dont post very often. in this case i feel like i could use some peer advise.

this is my brief backround, i worked for the forest service for 2 seasons as a wildland firefighter (which i loved and did very well at) while attending the local community college. When i started looking for full-time all year work i was encouraged to seek a permanent job with the forest service, but i came to really love the work we did with trees in our home forest, so i decided to persue the route of professional tree care. I first got a job doing tree work at a local ranch that my rock/ice climbing partner manages doing hazardous tree removals (large inconvienent cottonwood trees. I own three of my own professional grade chainsaws, all of my own climbing equipment, and a fair amount of rigging equipment. I worked at the ranch for about 6 months when i saw two local tree companies hiring climbers. i was offered a job by both companies and i took the one i have because they do all of the utility line clearance in our area so the work is very consistant. after seiing that i wasn't dangerrous with a chainsaw and was willing to climb trees he cut me loose for two weeks in the bucket taking 7 100+ ft cottonwoods around newly remodeled historic ranch cabins. this is when he first started not coming to work. flash forward now i've been working here for just under a year now and i do all climbing power line or no power line, i work with one other guy thats 53 who has worked ther for 12 years, but is pretty afraid of heights so i finish most of his trees for him so he really not a great bucket operator, but between the two of us we get the job done. my boss never comes to work and when he does he sits in his truck. ive done all of my studing for isa arborist and became a chapter and regular member to get the discount on my exam (my boss offered to pay my test fee), but now that i told him i have my application all ready to go and all i need to turn it in is them to pay he's been stalling (important because im supossed to get a raise when i pass).

so i make 12.00 dollars an hour, keep in mind ive been working full-time jobs since i was 16 and i'm the kind of guy that when him and the other guy go #### off i clean up the whole job site regardless of having any help. I never complain at work because i love the work i do but this is a dangerous profession and i feel as though i being a hardworking professional i should get paid a fair wage. I by no means think i know even half of everything, but i've learned a lot very quickly and im very hardworking. hell i read about trees when im at home and i drive around town looking at trees on the weekend. Sorry for the rant, but is it just me or am i not getting paid enough for the amount of work im doing.

thanks for any replies

Richard

 

[Tree Pig]

around here brush draggers start at around 12 and if they are decent ground guys usually get in the $15+ range. So I say your getting robbed... Are you getting any other benefits like health insurance, paid vacations ETC?

 

[Bomber]

Line clearance contracts go to the company that gives the lowest bid. So that company usually has to find the cheapest labor to stay profitable. If you have such a care for trees I think you would be better suited to work for a company doing private and commercial properties. Customers that care about the health of trees as opposed to how far they can get it off of the service lines.

 

[richard88]

no health insurance or other bennefits (they said they do a retirement plan after 1 year, but if anything if i pay into it my checks will end up even smaller), they do one week paid vacation at christmas it was basically $300. I got a week off, but that doesnt help me catch up on bills and pay for my own isa test/membership. i just feel like with only having two guys, he should be ale to help us out a little rather than just taking advantage of the fact that i take a lot of pride in what i do, so i won't do a crappy job for 10, 11, or 12 bucks an hour. to top it off his exscuse for having to delay my test was because he and his wife are going on vacation for two weeks and leaving everything at work up to us. it just doesn't seem right, he has to be making plenty of money, his wife doesn't work and she just bought a new car (which meant we worked saturdays for a month after that)

 

[richard88]

we also do alot of private work as well, but you're right our utility contract this year was only for roughly 200,000. its all money to the utility company they dont care that what we do is dangerous (while they watch and say "there's no way in hell id climb that")

 

[tbow388]

Sounds like

Sounds like you work for a business man. He finds the jobs, you do the work. He is your employer!!

I am not sure what the pay rates are up in your area for your line of work. If you think you are not getting paid enough, find another employer.
I am sure your current employer might be able to find a mexican do replace you cheaper. I know my boss can find someone better and cheaper than me. That's why I offer to mow his lawn and wash his car when we are not busy (and I have done so). I do work in a office so things are a bit different.

You might be better served opening your own business. Then after years of work, you can buy your Homemaker wife a new car.

I prefer to work for someone.

All of this being said. I say work your butt off for the guy so he can get his wife a new house with a pool also.
If you are as hard of a worker and good at your job as you say. Someone will see your efforts and give you a raise or offer you a better paying job.

I just hope you can see the point I am making.

 

[richard88]

tbow,

i definitely see your point and that's why i bite my toungue at work and continue to work hard. i actually get along very well with my boss and he knows that i work hard he just doesn't seem into monetary rewards, hahahaha. your suggestions are great and they are the things that i have been going over in my head. i was so happy to have my job at first because i thought hey i can kick a** and get a raise at one point and know i feel like i've done all the right things, i show up to work with all of my own climbing equipment, and i even let him demo my saws from time to time. like i said this is most definitely a rant, but i dont think mexicans should be paid anything less than a liveable wage. everyone who works hard should be able to have self respect and feel as though they are not constantly struggling to get by. in my original post i said this is a professional job, i feel like if you dont want hacks and no good kids working for you then you have to pay accordingly. just my two cents

 

[MarquisTree]

willing to relocate?

http://www.arboristsite.com/employment-forum/196708.htm#post3571176

Get ur cdl, sounds like ur worth twice what ur getting paid (in the boston area anyway, not sure what pay is like in your area)

 

[Tree Pig]

Sounds like you work for a business man. He finds the jobs, you do the work. He is your employer!!

I am not sure what the pay rates are up in your area for your line of work. If you think you are not getting paid enough, find another employer.
I am sure your current employer might be able to find a mexican do replace you cheaper. I know my boss can find someone better and cheaper than me. That's why I offer to mow his lawn and wash his car when we are not busy (and I have done so). I do work in a office so things are a bit different.

You might be better served opening your own business. Then after years of work, you can buy your Homemaker wife a new car.

I prefer to work for someone.

All of this being said. I say work your butt off for the guy so he can get his wife a new house with a pool also.
If you are as hard of a worker and good at your job as you say. Someone will see your efforts and give you a raise or offer you a better paying job.

I just hope you can see the point I am making.

I see the point your making... your total lack of self worth has relegated you to a under paid office worker who is brown nosing the boss so that that POS does not go replace him with an illegal. Sounds to me your part of the problem not the solution.

here you forgot your glasses

 

[skinnyd]

If he wants to sit in his truck all day, he can.. You work for him, not the other way around.

That said, it does sound like you are underpaid.

 

[richard88]

i definitely feel he has earned the right to sit in his truck or golf or do whatever, i dont even mind working saturdays to pay off their new car, my only objection is up to hiring me they always considered this job to require 3 people, but when i came on he stopped working and left just me and another guy and he won't hire a third person (which im fine with doing extra work), but i feel as though i should be compensated for working hard enough that he doesn't have to hire a third person to see production. I just figured there might be someone else on here who's been in the same boat with advise and to get a feel for what employers are willing to pay hardworking honest people.

on a side note, the guy i work with wont climb so in the event i get hurt in a tree there isnt anyone to rescue me, i just think this warrants more than no benefits and 12.00 an hour. just my opinion, i have a lot of respect for what people in our industry do and i think they should get paid for doing hard dangerous work.

and for those asking about what the job market is like here, i have a friend who is a concrete finisher that makes 22.00 per hour and the price of gas has been between 3.30 and 3.40 per gallon of low grade

thanks for all of the replies so far, its given me a lot to think about.

 

[VA-Sawyer]

Dang SOM you hit that right on the nose.

To the OP, you said that two companies offered you work. Is the second company still interested ? Will they make a better offer ? I start groundies at $10 ,and if they survive the first month, ( most don't ) I bump them to $12. A climber in training gets at least $15 and I have a climber that works on call for $25/hr ($100 minimum ). I would say that you are underpaid for around here, but can't say for your area. I used to work in Worland, at the airport, back about 1980, they treated me the same way.

Rick

 

[Toddppm]

Sounds like you have no real experience and are just winging it with what you got. I think you'll do pretty good with another company with a crew of guys that know real tree work. It'll probably open your eyes to alot that you should know.
Line clearance I don't think you'll move up very fast at all and not with a company that only has 2 employees.

 

[richard88]

Thanks Rick,

i could still go to work for the other company, but i have come to find out that they are responsible for much of the poorly trimmed dead trees in the area. Im starting to think that a move might be in order, so that i can stay with a reputable professional company and get paid a fair wage. im not looking to get rich, but as it is now i work really hard only to fall short at the end of the month when its time to pay bills. i was all about paying my dues at first, but now i just feel underappreciated. I would understand having short pay checks if the company isnt making money, but we work all year round.

Thanks,

Richard

 

[superjunior]

Your not getting paid enough period. I'd have a talk with him, be honest and tell him exactly what's on your mind. See what he saise if he's not willing to budge then I'd start looking elsewhere

 

[richard88]

toddppm,

you're correct in that i have not been doing this for very long, but i have been reliable enough that he trusts me not to destroy property or kill trees. Im normally very humble and do not clain to have a vast amount of expirence, but what i do have is a love for trees, a hard work ethic, and most importantly tons of aptitude, I always ask questions and pay attention and when i encounter something new during the day the first thing i do when i come home is pull out the books and do internet searches in order to always be learning more.

I've done first aid/cpr on my own time and i always try to catch the different forest service forestry seminars. i've studied thouroughly for my isa exam and will ultimately pay to take it myself if he is no longer willing to help. I definitely dont want to come accross as saying i am cocked locked and readt to rock for anything thrown at me, but i do feel as though i deserve better than what im currently recieving. what is comes down to is he makes more money because of my hard work, but pays me the same as what he's paid any other drunk or drug addicted groundie that wont even step off the ground.

My boss is a very skilled arborist and i have learned a lot from him.our company used to run two full crews but he said that it was too stressful and he couldn't find any descent help (probably because he believes that an expirienced certified arborist is worth about 15.00 an hour.

 

[richard88]

thanks super,

that is exactly what i plan on doing.

Thanks to everyone for the great advise and input, i knew i did the right thing by seeking advise here from a community of peers. I really do believe this is one of the best jobs a guy could ask for. i get so excited when i get home at the end of the day and think about what i was able to acomplish.

Thanks,

Richard

 

[VA-Sawyer]

richard88,

Maybe you could 'make a difference' over at the other company. If you are telling the truth about being ready for the CA test and having the First Aid/CPR cert on your own, then you sound like a real go-getter to me. I think Todd may have been a bit hard on you because you are still in your first decade of treework, but so am I.

I think I would go talk to the other company, see if they are open to improving the quality of their work. If they are old school in attitude as well as practice, well then you will need to look elsewhere.
If they would like to improve their reputation around town, then work a wage out and tell your present boss that you will be leaving in two weeks. Don't try to start a bidding war for your services, or quit your current job without notice. Leave on the best terms possible, you may find yourself asking for your old job back, or you may need a reference some day. It sounds like he has been good to you except for the money. Tell him that you like the job, but just can't afford to stay there.
If you really have the skill set you claim, then I think you will be able to get a better paying job.

Rick

 

[VA-Sawyer]

Where is Sheridan, WY?

Southeast of Billings, Montana just across the state line if I remember correctly.

Rick

 

[richard88]

Thanks va-sawyer,

i appreciate the encouragement and i will most likely do just what you reccomended.

and you're correct on the location.

Thanks everyone, this is really helping me to gain some insight and figure out exactly how i would like to proceed with my career and do what's best for me and my very soon to be wife. i just want to go out and put in a hard days work and at the end of the day go home and not feel overwhelmed by finacial woes. I believe that hard working people are disapearing and what few are left should be appreciated and encouraged. I know this is very idealistic in todays world, but i know i've always appreciated the people around me that were willing to go the extra mile to help me succeed.

Thanks,

Richard