is it my choice

[alanarbor]

Originally posted by BigJohn
One night this week I worked late then on the way home from got stuck in traffic for two hours.

Amen! I do that run every day man does it suck.

IMO when the boss shows up and starts picking apart your job, just nod and smile do it his way until he leaves. and then get back to business.

It's a whole lot harder in a family owned business to get where you want to go.... I know you've been through the mill with the co. I work for as well, and that didn't work out.

Going the contract climbing route might work well for you. You've got full control there make as much or as little as you like.

 

[BigJohn]

Yeah the drive really sucks. Everyday I ask how do I do it. Two doors down from me is tree company and I never even talked to the guy. I find it strange. I talk to guy on the other side of the globe here but at home I don't even talk to my neighbor who has his own company.

 

[Koa Man]

I left my full time job at Hawaiian Airlines in 1988 when I started making more money working on my 2 days off doing tree work. I now make over 4 times the amount I would have had I stayed with the airlines, based on their current pay scale, which is about $3 an hour more than when I was there. Going on your own is great, but there is a tremendous about of extra time spent doing bids and paper work, not to mention the cost of equipment. I think the best thing would be a subcontracting climber. Instead of being an employee with your present boss, go on a sub basis with him.

 

[alanarbor]

yep... that is weird.....heck see if he needs help... it'd be cool to get out of bed at 6:45 and still be on time to work.

 

[Treeman14]

Originally posted by BigJohn
My check this week is light I believe because I was rigging some small sapplings on a bank when the boss showed up...

But anyway because of this disagreement my check was a little light.

Are you saying your boss took money out of your paycheck because you had a disagreement? Isn't that illegal?

Are you paid an hourly rate? Do you keep track of your hours?

 

[MasterBlaster]

WTF???

 

[glens]

The grass is always greener on the other side until you get there and look back to see the grass being greener on the other side again.

If you've got steady work that you don't have to work to get, that's worth a lot.  Working to get it includes all the overhead.  Think of every little thing you need to do aside from the part about showing up at the customer's place to do the actual money-making work.  Then think about how out of that fortune you fell into, you've got to pay yourself or someone else to do the books, fix/fuel the equipment, pay the insurances and taxes and rents/leases/mortgages, and ad almost infinitum.

How about spending that two hours driving just to spend 3 hours more off the clock?

Don't move so quickly that you regret it.

Glen

 

[SteveBullman]

i've thought about this a lot john as im in the exact same position myself.
the way i see it, the best way to go would be to go free lance, do 90% of your work subbing out, and pick up the rest in private cash jobs here and there......jobs where you dont need a chippers ie burn onsite or just get everything on the ground.
should keep overheards low as possible and not have too much of a headache

 

[MasterBlaster]

And, there ya go!

 

[Big A]

As Steve knows, I sub out to his brother 3 days a week, try to give my best each and every day I'm there as I think a subby is only as good as that day. It s easier to tell a subby to leave as he has no employees rights to rely on, so you have to make a conscious effort all the time. Also I probably put in more hours on the days that I'm working for myself, what with pricing, paperwork and maintenance and even doing the jobs!

 

[SteveBullman]

Originally posted by Big A
As Steve knows, I sub out to his brother 3 days a week

i heard such a rumour

 

[jkrueger]

Originally posted by MasterBlaster
And, there ya go!

I gave your number to a couple of good referals and they said that ....

Jack

 

[roachy]

Our employer may be many things but he would never cheat any one out of money !!!Totally opposite .Hard to work for ,maybe but a cheat never

 

[BigJohn]

I agree usually he is most generous but don't agree with him on something and the buck stops there. As for me I get a regular hourly pay. Then to keep worker comp down and other reasons there are extra hours added on. Hours added on aren't really based on production or money earned but attitude.

 

[Treeman14]

So if you kiss up to the boss, you get paid more?

I think its time to move on. Sounds like a scam to me.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by jkrueger
I gave your number to a couple of good referals and they said that ....

Jack

"It was a dam long phone number?"

 

[Husky288XP]

Hey Bigjohn,
You can come over to the other side of PA and we can start a Tree Expert Co. together.

 

[dtw902]

If or when you go on your own you will work for the toughest boss yet.......... I suspect you'll be tougher on yourself when it's your rep on the line. Good luck in your choice, just think it all out, anyway goodluck with whatever choice you make.
Dave

 

[Husky288XP]

We can give Lewis, Davey, Asplunhd, Bartlett and Nelson a run for their money.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Maybe you ride the current job out through the winter. Give yourself some time to think things through.