pay rate for ground help

[boynature]

Just curious what others are paying for good ground help, trying to get a better idea of high and low range of pay. Climbers too for that matter.

boynat

 

[ropensaddle]

Well I have yet to see good ground help I have trained some but
usually learned to climb and start on their own. A good ground man
truth is, a seasoned climber makes the best ground man as far as
rigging and roping are concerned. A good laborer is what you are
probably speaking of and they are valuable also if don't cry or whine
do their job without motivation show up on time 100.00 per day here is
fair for laborer! Now a ground man having own saws chipper dump truck
is a different proposal he could be worth four hundred. I think a lot of ground personal think they are good and some are but to really know what the climber needs you need to have climbed minimum 4 years then you would make a great groundy!

 

[Jumper]

In Ontario 10-12 bucks and hour. Here In Alberta seems to be the far side of fifteen as wages are so inflated here as a result of the oil boom. Even at that I do not think you would hold onto anyone very long at that rate as the labourers I employ here are pushing $30 an hour, so the incentive to stick around tugging brush for 15 isn't there IMHO.

 

[teamtree]

I pay full-time ground guys between 12 and 15. Part-time guys get a half day or full day at 10 - 13.

 

[Treetom]

I have one good ground guy @ $15.00 per hour. No lip, no whining, no alcohol or drugs. A rare find. Sixty-two years old and blind in one eye. Laborers get $8.00 - $10.00 per hour to drag brush, operate a rake, drive a light truck. More if they're worth it: Most of these move on to start their own company. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find a laborer-level employee with a driver's license.

 

[mckeetree]

We start guys that don't know anything at $7.50 and it goes up from there. A really good ground man about $12.50. But that is based on 40 hour weeks.

 

[Jumper]

I suspect not many people can afford a car on less than $10 an hour, so why bother with the driver's license??

 

[Stihl User]

$10-12/hr..........even if we work 8 hr.s I still will give out $100.

 

[oldirty]

i forgot how much it sucks getting started in the biz.

man that pay rate is gross and i started at 10 when i got in.

thank goodness the times they have achanged.

but i guess to a young kid that is pretty good money.



oldirty

 

[Sprig]

I ground for a couple of people once in a while when I can, usually get 18-20 per hour or a min off 100 for a short day, some jobs work out better, (last one was around 25hr for 3hrs and I was hauling the junk too), but then I am on the ropes, lowering, bucking etc. and bring a lot of common sense and exp. with me. Most around here start at about 15 for dragging limbs and staying outta the way. These are not company jobs btw. For just clean-up stuff you'd be hard pressed to find anyone willing to work for less than 12, it does not pay the bills.




Serge

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

but then I am on the ropes, lowering, bucking etc. and bring a lot of common sense and exp. with me.

I agree, a good groundman is worth the same as a good climber. Trust a man with a saw and ropes he can make the job run very smooth, get an idiot and it all grinds to a stop.

Grounds the saw, rope in chipper, shocks or slams the spar and bucks the climber off is seat...

The real question you need to ask your self, once you've found a diamond in the rough, what is this person worth to your operation, what do you need to keep him or her there, what can you do so that there is still room to increase compensation as they improve. If you blow off the whole magazine at once, you may not have what you need later.

Then there are the little things that you can do to say thanks, buy lunch, buy boot and other uniform pieces, family passes to a resort or amusement park. Some cash for groceries if he is not a drinker after a very good day.

Oh, and the occasional "Thanks bud, good job today, you rocked!!

OK, I'm off my soapbox

People do not just stay for just money

 

[Sprig]

I agree, a good groundman is worth the same as a good climber. Trust a man with a saw and ropes he can make the job run very smooth, get an idiot and it all grinds to a stop.

Grounds the saw, rope in chipper, shocks or slams the spar and bucks the climber off is seat...

The real question you need to ask your self, once you've found a diamond in the rough, what is this person worth to your operation, what do you need to keep him or her there, what can you do so that there is still room to increase compensation as they improve. If you blow off the whole magazine at once, you may not have what you need later.

Then there are the little things that you can do to say thanks, buy lunch, buy boot and other uniform pieces, family passes to a resort or amusement park. Some cash for groceries if he is not a drinker after a very good day.

Oh, and the occasional "Thanks bud, good job today, you rocked!!

OK, I'm off my soapbox

People do not just stay for just money

Thanks Paul, it was what I was trying to say and you did it well,

(hey, any soap left in that there box, just put a load in and ran out, DOH!)

:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[ropensaddle]

Yes the complements go a long way as a lot of guys will work for
less money to work with someone that treats them right. We have
a little bs and no one is immune I tell anyone if you can flip it you can
take it, and they flip **** right back to me and keeps the job fun as
a fun job is a good job, but they know when it is serious time!

 

[Stumped_4_Life]

I'm a newbie to the tree business, part time for now but i am going to expand into full time when i get a full crew i can trust and leave on a job by themselves and get it done in a timely manner

I pay my ground men $10/hr when they learn more i will pay them more

In a month or so i will be looking for a full time climber i was thinking $15/hr + benefits would be far for a squirrel

 

[lees trees]

$10 to $15 and I've paid up to $22 till they went on thier own to make the real money and then they went broke.

 

[Magnum783]

Also another thing kinda off subject. Be a good boss no one likes to work for a boss who is always leaving his troops out in the dry. Stick up for them when he customer barks you take the brunt. Remember should run up and down hill not just up. Make sure there isn't anything you send your troops to do that you wouldn't do your self. This will make them head your orders better. Also listen to them. I guess the gist of all this is the golden rule "do unto other as you would have them do for you." I supervise command 10 troops and I depend that they will follow me until there death if need be. It took a great mentor to teach me and a few dumb moves on my part. Please learn from my mistakes. Your wingman(partner) is your most important weapon take care of them.
Jared

 

[GottaCut]

Shoot, I make just over 14 an hour, and I climb or operate the lift and do the ground work after I've made the mess(if the guys arent done, which rarely they are). Granted I have alot to learn about climbing, especially the use of ropes to climb. Sometimes I even scout the work out and plan it myself. Maybe its time to find a new job....

 

[IcePick]

I'm like you are gottacut, I do it all. I climb and do groundwork with equal enthusiasm. I kind of wonder if my pay suffers because I'm willing to do the groundwork while someone else climbs. I feel that it shouldn't because I'm willing to shoulder responsibilities wherever they are needed, on the ground, or in the tree.

 

[2muchstuff]

climbers deserve at least 25.00 and ground people depends on how fast and hard working they are. i would rather pay 15-20 for a super worker than 7 for someone who doesnt want to be there.

 

[Timberhauler]

I've cut my operation down to just me and a ground guy..I also have two guys who help me part time when I need them...I couldn't ask for a better ground guy than the guy who helps me full time,he's also a decent climber..I pay him $150 a day,and quite often I give him bonuses,plus when I'm extremely busy I kick small jobs over to him