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Any company is only as good as its work force, Ive re-done some of their work for customers who werent happy & complained about their price in relation to their work..... which honestly the price was pretty high!!

All in all I would say their one of the better residential "big companies" not sure if they do line work or not?? I know they have a very good Lab & science dept. for tree care.



LXT..........
 
Yes, they have a very good tree science lab and testing. They are at the forefront of pathogenetic research and treatment. Any big company is going to have some beginner arborists, and not all arborists have a good eye or climbing agility and knowhow, but I'm sure they have some good guys.
They are one of my biggest competitors and I have had customers show me their bids and say I want you to do this job and for a better price please. Some of them are very high, but I like that.
I have also seen some occasional substandard work by them. But mostly its standard decent work all around.
 
they contribute quite a bit to arborculture with all their research and lab work, but like most BIG companies, employees are line item #'s.
pay em just enough, with some good benefits thrown in, and business as usual.

Bartlett donated $26,000+ worth of good tree work to the Jamestown (VA) foundation cleaning up for the 400 year anniversary, back in 07.
that was very commendable.:clap::clap:

And I tell potential customers to call em, I LIKE them in my bidding pool. :D
 
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:agree2: I like them bidding for the same jobs as me, keeps the prices where they should be!!



LXT..........
 
Any company is only as good as its work force, Ive re-done some of their work for customers who werent happy & complained about their price in relation to their work..... which honestly the price was pretty high!!

All in all I would say their one of the better residential "big companies" not sure if they do line work or not?? I know they have a very good Lab & science dept. for tree care.



LXT..........

I'd have to agree for the most part. Obviously, there are corporate policies regarding production and pricing, safety training, etc; however, the attitudes and personability of the employees are up to each individual just as they are at any business place. I've never worked at one of the larger tree companies as I started out on my own right out of school; however, I think it would be a fair assumption to say that, at one Bartlett location, you might have a supervisor who is a decent guy that treats you fairly and is enjoyable to be around and at another location you get a complete ahole. His being an ahole may not have anything at all to do with the company. He just chooses to be one.

Pay and production requirements are certainly factors that weigh into whether or not a company is 'decent' to work for but employee morale is something that each regional or local branch can influence on their own. Best thing to do, if I was checking out local companies, would be to check out the management moreso than the company itself. You work for the company but you answer to the local management. Am I wrong here?
 
I'd rate them as being 1 of the best in this area as far as tree care goes and in business practices.
There are alot of huge companies around here and small for that matter.
 
I worked at their lab in Charlotte all through horticulture school and some after. Went on to work for the Roanoke office for a few before moving to an area where they have no presence. Great company with many fine minds.
The training and support was top notch.
 
clearance,

I spent a bit over three years with their Victoria office, would not be my first choice of employer, if you are applying to one of the Vancouver offices, you may find it different.

My biggest beef, you don't get paid for any down-time, production hours only. So if you need to change blades on your chipper, you come in early, and you better be ready to roll at 7:30. Same for boom maintenance. May not sound like much, but it adds up.

They talk a big game on safety, but it's out the window if it interferes with production. They will tout how they keep all their guys up to date and practiced on aerial rescue, and if the "safety rep" pops in on your site for a spot check, you better have a rescue kit at the ready. But if it suits their purpose, you'll be sent to climb and cut solo. I don't mind that really, it's just the hypocrisy.

Not a beef really, just a heads up: They do a lot of PHC. If you like pruning Rhodos as a break from climbing, then that's fine, but from what I've read from you, I don't think secateurs are your favorite tool. In the same vein, YOU WILL go spurless at the B. Note: If they want you for your CUA, you'll get less of the PHC. Some of the other guys will resent you for that, not your problem.

Get anything involved with your compensation in writing. I was promised a certain percent raise, if I acheived such-and-such. Held up my end, then was told "Head Office" nixed it. Bullteats!, and I wasn't the only guy who got the same line of :censored:.

On the upside, you won't lack for good gear. Need new rope, or couple of 'biners, just sign them out. Also very few clueless groundies, they just won't tolerate it.

So not a real bad place, just not my first choice.


RedlineIt
 
Thanks Redline, and everyone else. Work is slim now, utility and res. Hopefully things pick up.
 
clearance,

I hear ya on the slim pickings right now. I'm climbing for a couple outfits right now, still not getting full weeks. Brutal.

So, something else you might want to know about Bartlett: They do what they call "Constant recruitment" as a matter of course. Meaning they run ads for people all the time, whether they need anybody or not, just to see who comes through the door. Typical of how they treat their workforce in general.

But if you have an offer on the table, snap it up, deal with their :censored: later.

RedlineIt
 
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Thanks for that, I often see thier adds, never repiled till now. So, when they get someone who puts out big, do they kick someone else to the curb? Sounds like it. But I always look around when I have a job too, so....

Things do kind of suck, despite all the talk about it being over. Not a lot of jobs out there, tree work or construction, all I have ever done. Actually can't remember things like this, maybe back in the early 80s but I was a kid. I guess we'll see. Good luck buddy and thanks for the heads up.
 
I know some great arborists out of Victoria/Sidney, and both shops on the lower mainland. They have good things to say about the company mostly, and as of recently they are the only game in town still pushing 40 hours a week.

I made the mistake of assuming that medium sized companies that run professionally and treat staff with dignity (like the one I previously worked for) would be a given when I moved out here. The gap between Davey/Bartlett and everyone else on the South Island is pretty substantial.

One mofo of a storm any time now and everything will be just fine.
 
I worked for one of the offices in the lower mainland recently for a little over a year and enjoyed for the most part my time there, as mentioned before they supply you with all new climbing year and PPE if you show them your a keener. I will agree with one of the above post, they are reluctant to pay for down time, I had a hard time with that one!!! They will pay you a ''ok'' wage and the benifits are ''ok'' but nothing to jump at. The company has good ethics and for the most part they only hire educated or qualified arborist. They for the most part run the smaller bandit 250's ( 9inch branch chipper) but we had a few vermeer 1500's around that were awesome. Ive herd nothing but good things about ther training facilty in charlotte. Once again it is a big company and production is number one!
 
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