$9.14 to $14.23 An Hour

[slowp]

In today's paper, precommercial thinning and tree planting jobs are advertised. The thinning pays $9.14 to $12.29 an hour and the planting maxes out at $14.23 an hour.

For planting, one is supposed to be able to plant 800 trees per day at the end of the first week, 900 the second week and then be up to 1000 trees a day by the end of the third week.

I have always questioned the quality of 1000 trees a day planted with a shovel. Must be really nice ground.

They will provide motel rooms at no cost and transportation.

It is two different reforestation companies. 95 openings. opcorn:

 

[2dogs]

Not exactly family living wages. Home Depot illegals earn $10.00 an hour cash.

1000 trees per 8 hour shift = 125 per hour or less than 30 seconds per tree with a shovel.

 

[dingeryote]

Not exactly family living wages. Home Depot illegals earn $10.00 an hour cash.

1000 trees per 8 hour shift = 125 per hour or less than 30 seconds per tree with a shovel.

The wages are on par with the average for factory work when it still existed here.

Conditions and rate are another matter.

Several of my farm workers are capable of making 17-18 bucks an hour on piece rate and the conditions are much, much,better.

30 seconds per tree for 8 hours is a hell of a clip to maintain on sloped and uneven ground. God Help 'em if it's rocky and strewn with limbs and such.
I don't think they are looking for reliable labor, that will stick around for long enough to reach that rate.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Jacob J.]

It may be that there's a base rate for the planters plus an incentive for how many trees they plant. Here the planters get $11/hr. plus $0.07 per tree.

 

[dingeryote]

It may be that there's a base rate for the planters plus an incentive for how many trees they plant. Here the planters get $11/hr. plus $0.07 per tree.

That would make more sense, and beat the hell out of picking cucumbers or strawberries.LOL!!!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Rudedog]

I would rather be a Cop with TreeCo and Chowdozer riding with me and supervising me the entire shift than do that kind of work for that kind of money.

 

[madhatte]

The planting crew we've hired the last several years have had the same field bosses and almost 1/2 of the same planters from year to year. The get these spendy shovels from some outfit in Castle Rock that last forever, and plant 14,000 trees a day at >90% inspected quality for 100% pay. I don't know what the individual worker gets paid, but I've been nothing short of awed every time I've worked with them.

Fun part is that I speak a bit of Spanish, they all speak marginal English, and the Silviculturist doesn't speak any Espanol at all, so we just bust on each other all day. Keeps both pace and spirits up.

 

[Rudedog]

The planting crew we've hired the last several years have had the same field bosses and almost 1/2 of the same planters from year to year. The get these spendy shovels from some outfit in Castle Rock that last forever, and plant 14,000 trees a day at >90% inspected quality for 100% pay. I don't know what the individual worker gets paid, but I've been nothing short of awed every time I've worked with them.

Fun part is that I speak a bit of Spanish, they all speak marginal English, and the Silviculturist doesn't speak any Espanol at all, so we just bust on each other all day. Keeps both pace and spirits up.

Sounds to me that someone is really earning their pay.

 

[slowp]

I would rather be a Cop with TreeCo and Chowdozer riding with me and supervising me the entire shift than do that kind of work for that kind of money.

I made school money planting on the weekends. I think we made $3.50 an hour which was better than what the orchardists paid. You need to be young to do it. It is especially tiring when you have to hike in. We worked in areas that had burned so sometimes found some big rocks to roll and knock snags over...not productive, but fun.

 

[madhatte]

Our ground is all nice and flat, but gravelly. It's kind of a mixed blessing, I guess.

 

[2dogs]

The planting crew we've hired the last several years have had the same field bosses and almost 1/2 of the same planters from year to year. The get these spendy shovels from some outfit in Castle Rock that last forever, and plant 14,000 trees a day at >90% inspected quality for 100% pay. I don't know what the individual worker gets paid, but I've been nothing short of awed every time I've worked with them.

Fun part is that I speak a bit of Spanish, they all speak marginal English, and the Silviculturist doesn't speak any Espanol at all, so we just bust on each other all day. Keeps both pace and spirits up.

Illegals?

 

[madhatte]

Illegals?

Are you assuming for some reason that they're Mexican?

I keed, I keed. Sort of.

I planted a bit when I was younger, and also did horrible mid-winter reprod surveys for $3/plot. Just being out in the lousy Northwest winter weather is a Badge of Honor. Most sane folks would at least grab an umbrella. I'm out there all year, and I work pretty hard. Loggers work harder than I do. Planters also work harder than I do. I respect both.

Illegals? Not a one on this particular crew. These folks are legit, and should be held up as an example for any would-be immigrants as to how to conduct business. I'm pretty sure most of the returnees are naturalized citizens, or are working toward it. I know the crew boss I was talking to this spring is, and is planning on going to community college as time and finances allow. He also works on a contract fire crew out of central Oregon during the summers.

You'll be surprised who you meet in the woods.

 

[Gologit]

In today's paper, precommercial thinning and tree planting jobs are advertised. The thinning pays $9.14 to $12.29 an hour and the planting maxes out at $14.23 an hour.

For planting, one is supposed to be able to plant 800 trees per day at the end of the first week, 900 the second week and then be up to 1000 trees a day by the end of the third week.

I have always questioned the quality of 1000 trees a day planted with a shovel. Must be really nice ground.

They will provide motel rooms at no cost and transportation.

It is two different reforestation companies. 95 openings. opcorn:

What was the name of the company doing the thinning? Just curious. We had one down here that low-balled it's way into some contracts, screwed them up royally, and disappeared. They scooped up a serious amount of work doing roadside hazard tree removal and made quite a name for themselves, which I can't repeat here. Me and a couple of other guys have made some good money going back through their work areas and fixing their mistakes. Their favorite thing was to face up a tree, start to back it up, and wind up leaving the bar pinched in the wood...with the tree still standing. Then they'd just leave it. We're starting a bent-bar collection. They had white vans, shopped at 7-11 very early in the morning, and listened to mariachi music a lot.

 

[floyd]

It appears you haven't planted too much. Steep ground is easier to plant.Don't have to bend over as far.


Yrs ago this "forester' asked us what we wanted to do an a 60% unit. Go straight up & down? He had a problem understanding "the line" as well.

 

[slowp]

There are two ads for two companies. Sierra Reforestation and Mt. St. Helens Reforestation are the two. You can also get information at the unemployment offices in our fair state.

 

[slowp]

It appears you haven't planted too much. Steep ground is easier to plant.Don't have to bend over as far.


Yrs ago this "forester' asked us what we wanted to do an a 60% unit. Go straight up & down? He had a problem understanding "the line" as well.

The exception to this would be sticking trees in behind an auger operator. I never ran the auger--too smart and too short, but it would have been harder to do on steep ground. That year, we planted behind it, and you found a nice stick with a blunt end to tamp in the dirt. Even though there was more bending over for us planters, it was easier than the hoedad method.

 

[madhatte]

Also depends on the seedlings. Alders, for example, are long enough that it's pretty easy to heel them in without bending over. Some 2x2 DF are, as well.

 

[hammerlogging]

The planting crew we've hired the last several years have had the same field bosses and almost 1/2 of the same planters from year to year. The get these spendy shovels from some outfit in Castle Rock that last forever, and plant 14,000 trees a day at >90% inspected quality for 100% pay. I don't know what the individual worker gets paid, but I've been nothing short of awed every time I've worked with them.

Fun part is that I speak a bit of Spanish, they all speak marginal English, and the Silviculturist doesn't speak any Espanol at all, so we just bust on each other all day. Keeps both pace and spirits up.

I have had the same expereince and loved every minute, only it was on a fancy Pinot Noir vineyard in OR and they had fake papers, but (most of them) great great folks, and I don't give a damn myself, I've had a fortunate upbringing in this country and will gladly pay some extra taxes for the benefit of some nice folks trying to make better for themselves. But then again I might just be some pinko commie timberfaller. ####, my grandma was BORN in North Dakota on a homestead and only spoke Norwegian till she went to school! We're all immigrants, except for a few with some native blood.

The mexis, they all cleaned and sharpened their pruners every night! They'd gteach the new guys the tricks to perform better and faster at night so they'd be ready for their first day. I'd love to get some of them out to work the brush for me!

 

[hammerlogging]

What was the name of the company doing the thinning? Just curious. We had one down here that low-balled it's way into some contracts, screwed them up royally, and disappeared. They scooped up a serious amount of work doing roadside hazard tree removal and made quite a name for themselves, which I can't repeat here. Me and a couple of other guys have made some good money going back through their work areas and fixing their mistakes. Their favorite thing was to face up a tree, start to back it up, and wind up leaving the bar pinched in the wood...with the tree still standing. Then they'd just leave it. We're starting a bent-bar collection. They had white vans, shopped at 7-11 very early in the morning, and listened to mariachi music a lot.

But, just the same, I can sure see how this sort of BS could really piss me off too! At least you ended up with the work anyhow, in the end. Oh life, such is life, complicated, if you let it be.

 

[2dogs]

I have nothing against Hispanics, like my wife and kids, but I do NOT like taxpayer money paying the wages of illegal aliens. It is against the law to hire illegals no matter how nice they are.