Personal?

[Dawnsman]

Yes we do

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[DR. P. Proteus]

I'm not sure what you mean.

I just thought it was interesting someone would think its such a crazy idea of paying minimum wage and "expect" 50% more pay!

I know of no "floor sweeper" work that pays that well, otherwise I'd be doing it.

A friend is the head manager of the local Taco Bell, it pays around $13/hr. She has to supervise about 15 employees, take care of ordering supplies, etc.

Anyhow, I hired someone today, had about 35 people call on the job.

Heck when I was a kid I earned $5.15/hr on farms (min wage). Adjusted for inflation that's under $8 today. I thought I struck it rich actually getting paid for slave labor. My Dad didn't pay us! Haha!

I think you will find if you re-read your above statement you will be sure of my meaning.

But to elaborate:

Where would you be without a good firewood stacker?

 

[Dawnsman]

I was the good firewood stacker lol y all enjoy the 4th be safe

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[capetrees]

I remember minimum wage in California at $2.10 an hour,,
Jeff

I remember $3.10 in MA

 

[capetrees]

Possibly double screwed here

One guy that works weekends with me, over the past couple of months, has been acting weird. Got evicted from his place in Dec and was living in his car with no steady job. Finally got a steady job and I loaned him $1200 towards 1st/last/security in April. Idea was to pay me back $100 each week. Every weekend for the past three months has been drama and excuses. Didn't set his alarm, cut on his leg got infected/can't work, had to take his dads girlfriend to the ER, car accident blocked the road to get to work on time, car caught on fire, or the best one doesn't call or text to let me know anything about coming in. Turns out, the money I gave him for rent went into car parts and he's been living free at a friends house while on the side, he does mechanics work for the guy instead of working trees with me! Missed last week and at this point, because the payment plan hasn't been steady, I told him I want the $700 he still owes me. Tells me 4-6 weeks to pay it and of course, he's not coming in anymore! I could care less if that POS comes in again or not, I just want my money!

On the other side, another guy that works with me is looking for a new steady job that, if he gets, will allow him to keep working with me on the weekends but if he doesn't get the job he prefers, he'll take a different job and that takes away his weekends so no working with me. This guy is great, works non stop and looks for more. He wants to keep working weekends but he and I both know he needs a steady job with benefits. Tomorrow we're supposed to hear which job he gets.

So one guys out and I could care less and the other, who I hope will be able to continue to work, may not be back. Bad time to lose both guys.

 

[Dawnsman]

Yeah man you gotta be careful who you loan money today

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[jefflovstrom]

So you are out $1200,
Jeff

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Tried that at $15/cord. Didn't work out. Legally have to pay at least minimum wage, even at piece rate (what the labor dept calls it).

You should try paying your firewood stackers a $/volume rate instead of hourly. I bet you see a huge increase in productivity, as well as less variable in what it costs you to produce x amount of wood, meaning you can know just about exactly how much you will make on each cord.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I think you will find if you re-read your above statement you will be sure of my meaning.

But to elaborate:

Where would you be without a good firewood stacker?

I'll do it myself before I pay someone $15+/hr. It's just not in the cards to pay that much. It'd be roughly 30% of the profit. aka the money that pays for equipment, parts labor, and if I'm lucky enough to buy me food and pay my light bill at home.


They would need to be running the whole show for that kind of pay.

I'd be better ahead to just work for myself stacking wood at $15/hr, cause I generally don't make that! (huh? haha!).

I had no trouble finding help, nor have had trouble in the last several years. Finding someone to stay.. well that's really just how people are. I have a friend that pays $45-60/hr for flaggers and even at that pay he has a hard time getting people to stay more than a few weeks.
Seems once the weather turns "crappy" come fall and into winter people don't want to work I guess. Dunno, I work in all weather, -30* to 85*, rain, snow, sun.

 

[Dawnsman]

Where you live hell I'll stack fire wood guarantee none of these kids can keep up lol I work mine to death seems like

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[beastmaster]

I remember minimum wage in California at $2.10 an hour,,
Jeff

I remember those days. My first day i ever worked for a tree service was minimum wage. I heard the climber was getting a 100.00 a day. I became a climber.

 

[capetrees]

So you are out $1200,
Jeff

currently $700

 

[Stayalert]

I have been trying to put a definition on when people go around asking questions instead of doing what they were just told to do. What is that called?

Noun: Sand bagger

Verb: Sand Bagging

need more info? Stop asking me look it up yourself

 

[bikemike]

We have an awesome group now. Took a long time to get there. About 10 guys give or take, but our main lead guy made all the difference. Totally different culture at the shop.
They really pay groundies a $1000 a week out there?

I might want to do their job now

 

[BC WetCoast]

Minimum wage is only relevant to the area you are in and the local cost of living. It's quite likely our minimum wage will go up to $15/hr within a few months. However, around here, if you can find a place to rent for under a $1000/mo you've hit the jackpot (or it was a former grow op). My daughter shares a 4 bedroom house (mainfloor only, there's 2 suits in the basement) for $2400/mo.

And you can imagine that when the minimum wage goes up, I'm going to be banging the drum for a raise as well.

We've had our share of good groundies over the years and our share of duds. Being an urban company, we normally get urban people, some only last a day. The big problem we have is phones, but I have a new line (and being the old ******* foreman I can get away with it). On your phone, on the bus (back to the office), your choice.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Minimum wage is only relevant to the area you are in and the local cost of living. It's quite likely our minimum wage will go up to $15/hr within a few months. However, around here, if you can find a place to rent for under a $1000/mo you've hit the jackpot (or it was a former grow op). My daughter shares a 4 bedroom house (mainfloor only, there's 2 suits in the basement) for $2400/mo.

And you can imagine that when the minimum wage goes up, I'm going to be banging the drum for a raise as well.

We've had our share of good groundies over the years and our share of duds. Being an urban company, we normally get urban people, some only last a day. The big problem we have is phones, but I have a new line (and being the old ******* foreman I can get away with it). On your phone, on the bus (back to the office), your choice.

I had a guy actually argue... "Well you use your phone"

A... I'm the boss!
B... I'm mostly taking/making calls to customers and answering messages... ie... what pays the bills!

 

[bikemike]

My boss slash owner says no phones. Ok no problem cause its distracting, so it stays in my lunch bag.
So that it's in my bag the boss gets pissed about me not answering my phone when he wants to call me. I laugh every time and say no phones. Do as you say, not as you do. Now everything is group text so someone will be able to pass on info

 

[Stayalert]

Most places where I work there is no/spotty cell service....

(great story whats the point?)

I don't really know except that its a non-issue for the most part....

using your phone and working for me = no bueno = sand bagging

 

[jefflovstrom]

gotta need a phone to call '911',,
and your girlfriend,,,
Jeff

 

[no tree to big]

I have a work phone and a personal phone I leave my personal in the truck work phone is linked through my sena headset so I don't miss calls everybody in the company calls my personal with the really time sensitive stuff... it's like people I have a company phone try calling it every now and then. Then they get mad I don't answer or respond for hours it's awesome.

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