are climbers underpaid in the states?

[jefflovstrom]

The thought of trickle down economics has me baffled. I worked for many rich people, they are some of the cheapest bastards around.

Hi ABM,, I am not a bully,, but I want to ask you.
If you are baffled by 'trickle down', how do explain 'Trickle up,,?
You say you 'worked for many rich people, they are some of the cheapest bastards around.''
Question,,How do you think they got rich?,,
Jeff

 

[CalTreeEquip]

Can't we all just get along??

Guys, lets not let this thread degenerate into the usual mayhem of our domestic political blame gaming and finger pointing. Really it gets so old.
There are economic realities to life and our brother from down-under asked a simple question.
So lets keep it simple and clean.
And if that doesn't work, blame the hippies.

 

[Slvrmple72]

If tree work was a register trade like plumbing and electrical then maybe their would be a standard rate for climbers. I don't think tree co.s would be charging the price they do if they had to pay climbers top wages. If climbers were payed better than the business wouldn't be flooded with gypsy tree services. Anyone who has worked for a company and went on his own did it primarily for one reason, to make better money. Climbing day in and day out on a production level beats the hell out of ya, who wants to do that for $20hr when you can do it for triple the money and climb a couple day a week.

Very true. They go out with good intentions and before you know it when work dries up they start cutting costs on minor stuff like insurance and workers comp. Almost as bad as the production climbers for larger outfits going out and doing sidework or buzzwork. I wil bite my tongue before I start an This Economy Suxs Rant...

 

[mckeetree]

This thread is turning into two bit wannabees, class envy jackasses and bleeding heart illegal alien sympathizers and I don't have much use for any of the three.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Must be your Marketing,,IDK.

but it was a beautiful day,
Jeff :msp_rolleyes:

 

[CalTreeEquip]

YEs it was. I planted a 15 gal Apricot tree in my backyard.

 

[ROPECLIMBER]

I worked at Aspen for 18.00 per hour and the company, usually took in 1800-2500 for 2 climbers and a groundsman bucket truck and chipper per day,
here in SA I am lucky to do 500-800 a day just me and a ground guy though but SA has a stagnated econnomy bunch of retires keep the ptices beat down, am tempted to go back to Colorado for the summer, cost of living is higher there so there 20 is the same as 15 here, but in 1987 I made 35k and diesel was .89-.96 a galln cigs were less than 2.00 and milk was under 2.00 so with inflation climbers are making 8.00 in 1987 money,
Paul

 

[Tree&Stump]

I hate to say it, but it does matter to most people who is selling them their tree services. And that main stream preference matters when you are trying to get strangers to feed you respectable prices for work. If they don't prefer you, they don't prefer to feed you a whole lot, so you don't make much per day anywhere. Try to find a retired tree service contractor to sell your jobs. He knows how to bid, and he knows how to say what matters to the clients.

 

[freeweight]

i think u guys are thinking of big companies ,they pay crap ,climbers around here ,the cheapest i have heard is 2-250$ ..but a really good climber around here makes a 3rd of the whole job no crap either ,day workers make 100-150$ depending on job

so yea i really couldnt see a HUGE company like asplundh or the like paying anything near any of the prices i listed .....unless u are with the company for 20 years or so

 

[jefflovstrom]

i think u guys are thinking of big companies ,they pay crap ,climbers around here ,the cheapest i have heard is 2-250$ ..but a really good climber around here makes a 3rd of the whole job no crap either ,day workers make 100-150$ depending on job

so yea i really couldnt see a HUGE company like asplundh or the like paying anything near any of the prices i listed .....unless u are with the company for 20 years or so

Really?
Jeff opcorn:

 

[Goose IBEW]

Any way you cut it, I think the tree industry is underpaid in general. A climber should pocket $25-$30/hr with a pension, annuity, health and welfare bennies, and some kind of vacation fund. I seriously doubt very many climbers have a package like that.

I talked in length with a guy going out of business here in Jersey. He was actually proud to say his climber had come through the ranks and was "up to" $16.75/hr. I was stunned, I pay college kids near that much to rake and clean up.

 

[AshTree]

Yes We are all Underpaid... However in the US ... WOW, that is really something else.

Big Cities are going to pay out better dollars to a climber generally, rural guys will make less and it's all about who you are.

Solid dependable climbers out in the GTA (Toronto Area) are generally making about 20-25 hr for a company. TOP dollar is 30 and yes some guys will make that out here is they are production oriented. That is in the upper tier of tree work. Groundsman make 15-20 and will do better if they have an upgrade license or are good with maintenance can occasionally sell work or are skilled with buckets or cranes. If your looking to keep a guy, and want to keep him and want him to be happy and not screw you around behind your back because your buying new bucket trucks while paying him nothing off the work he doing for you each day... Pay him fairly and keep him, unless its not worth it and you've got an abundance of skilled climbers to work with, which is rare.

A true professional is worth what we are dicussing here, but how many people are truly up to the standard of being called an 'Arborist' not simply a 'tree climber'? That is the key in the questions... Who is an "Arborist" a trained and skilled professional with the knowledge of proper tree care, PPE and proper safe methods for tree care and removal. Who is a "tree climber"? ... this guy Cookeville , TN - Tree Climbing , Trimming and felling a tree - YouTube is a tree climber, and owner of a tree company, appparently... this is the differenc.

Yes, there are a lot of underpaid professionals out there, especially with guys this dumb out there making every one of us professionals cringe and wonder why we got into tree work in the first place. But I love what I do, and I am going to get up really early tommorrow and do it and the next day and the day after...

 

[ropensaddle]

Smashing big removals five days out of the week for a $600-$700 pay check gets old quick. I make that in a day now. Although winters are scary. I wish I was making $600-$700 a week now! AirBornMutha Climbs Anotha!

And your post nailed the problem people work just long enough to learn the basics and presto they start a business. I worked for a company some 25 years before finally and reluctantly starting mine. If I had life to do over I would likely just enroll in school and become a lobbyist or something very profitable:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[ropensaddle]

And your post nailed the problem people work just long enough to learn the basics and presto they start a business. I worked for a company some 25 years before finally and reluctantly starting mine. If I had life to do over I would likely just enroll in school and become a lobbyist or something very profitable:hmm3grin2orange:

Oh and yes we are under-paid imo for instance huge project I did last summer 28 acres of tree work and de-vining split 3 ways well so 8k later I spent two days in hospital for heat induced kidney failure bill 16k! So from now on I sure hope a doctor or layer understands the huge oak over his swimming pool is worth 20k

This is a risky job with the true cost of living I feel a small business like mine should bang out minimum 100k but 8 years in still has not happened. I've resigned myself to selling farm down sizing and getting debt free and just picking jobs afterwards.

 

[freeweight]

(smacks jeffs popcorn out of his hand looks in eye) ....yes jeff ...really!! what the he11 are u eating popcorn for tree guys chew i bet your husband loves your poon tang

 

[jefflovstrom]

opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:
Jeff

 

[freeweight]

look how wide your mouth can open ....damn boy

 

[ropensaddle]

With the costs associated in tree business and risks profits should exceed the level of executives in the area. Only problem is the customers are bankers,accountants, lawyers etc and are well versed in keeping the costs of skilled labor low. Many of these types are spineless traitors to the American dream by letting their greed dominate their decisions. The ideal of cheapest price is ingrained into them from birth and since most of them were fed by a silver spoon they have no idea their greed's consequence to America. Please note: I said most not all fall into this and the ones that don't usually end up my customer

 

[AirBorneMutha]

With the costs associated in tree business and risks profits should exceed the level of executives in the area. Only problem is the customers are bankers,accountants, lawyers etc and are well versed in keeping the costs of skilled labor low. Many of these types are spineless traitors to the American dream by letting their greed dominate their decisions. The ideal of cheapest price is ingrained into them from birth and since most of them were fed by a silver spoon they have no idea their greed's consequence to America. Please note: I said most not all fall into this and the ones that don't usually end up my customer

Well then you should be breaking that 100k figure unless ya only work two days a week

 

[ropensaddle]

Well then you should be breaking that 100k figure unless ya only work two days a week

re read most that does not leave much of a client base! Most use illegal aliens and to me that is a real travesty that their greed trump supporting local business.