Lazy discrace of a "climber"

[Wolf Blitzer]

I work with a climber who is very lazy. When there is ever any hard work to be done, he can be spotted doing circles around the chipper and truck, making phone calls, or spending half an hour trying to daisy-chain his lanyard.

Does anyone have any of these lazy disgraces working with you?

SMT

 

[The Big Hurt]

Once..

Had a groundy that didnt stay long because I fired his a s s quickly. He never wanted to do anything. He was too much of a pretty boy never wanted to get dirty. Other than him I have never had a problem.
Barry

 

[treeclimber165]

2 sides to this

I've worked with groundies who did so little while I was in the tree that I refused to jump in and help them do THEIR job when I came down from doing mine. If they are going to stand there and watch me for an hour while I bust my butt, Why should I come down and help them catch up?
I've worked with others that were attentive and didn't need to be told to do the same things every day and every tree. They are always being productive, and keeping one eye on me in case I need something from the ground. I would be embarrassed to descend from a tree and not jump in and help them finish (after a quick trip to the water cooler). The day I'm too proud to drag brush or rake up is the day I need to hang up my rope and saddle.
I guess it all boils down to attitude and respect. I'm capable of getting a chitty attitude at times (like yesterday), but I try to keep it in check.

 

[The Big Hurt]

Never too qualified

I agree...I am always willing to help out a groundy thats bustin butt. Even though my job is to climb the tree and do the work in the sky I am never too qualifed to get out the rake and start raking twigs if I am done with my part of the job. Besides it's in the best interest of my business that the job be done as quickly as possible so jumping in to help does nothing but benefit.
Barry

 

[kf_tree]

we had this ground guy that always wondered off. so one day we were done with the job and he was no where to found. i get paid by the day not the hour. so we just left him. he showed up on the next job a few hours later, but it was about a 3 mile walk. it kept him from wondering for a bit. but he still got canned after hitting the chipper 2x with a new truck.

 

[treeman82]

The groundy I had workin for me these past few weeks was horrid. He would grab a small piece of wood and roll it along the ground to move it to the pile instead of picking it up and carrying it in one shot. He would roll the pieces a few feet and then take a brake. Roll them a few more feet and take another brake. I got really pissed at the guy because he moved so slow and then started torturing him. Gave him big pieces and made him move everything. G-D do I HATE stupid people.

 

[kf_tree]

so now do we want to change this to stupid groundy thread. i once left 2 guys at the yard to split fire wood. half way through the day i stopped by to check on them. they were rolling all the wood to the splitter instead of moving the splitter closer to the pile. another reason i stopped selling fire wood. its tough finding good ground labor, every one feels above it. that why i used mexican labor. i paid and treated them well, i kept the same guys for 3 years. they swarmed like ants and cleaned every thing up.

 

[Greg]

TC165 - I couldn't agree more.... I think that a climbers job is to climb, ground crew is to keep the ground clean. If they have been flicking boogers for the 2 hrs I've been working in the tree I will come down to sip water and ride their a$$ until they get caught up. If they have been working hard like I have I will always pitch in and help finish things up. I have a guy who works for me on occasion that has done construction labor most of his life. He is a pro at standing around until he is told to do somthing. With him on the job I tend to slow down in the tree (when I can) and holler orders down to keep him busy. --As I write this I am wondering why I ever call him.
Greg

 

[Jumper]

DRIVE!

Some people have it, and some do not-it is called drive aka intestinal fortitude ie guts. I may be the far side of 40 but I do think I can put some younger guys to shame. I ran into these for years in the Army,some soldiers would bust their ass from here to Kingdom Come for you, and others you had to light a fire under their a** to get them to move, let alone do work or actually get dirty. the worst are the pretty buys. A lot of people today want to sit in front of a computer screen and not get hot and sweaty, let alone filthy dirty when they work. Part of this is society's doing, people who work hard with their hands and backs for a living are seen as lower caste, and salaries for such reflect this line of thinking. This is why both the Canadian and American Armed Forces are screaming for new recruits. Why bother, you can earn double the cash in half the time with a tenth of the hassle at some leech of a hightech firm like Nortel and JDS Uniphase. Let me also play devil's advocate here: a lot of people in supervisory positions in construction for eg are complete wankers and bullies whom I believe get a real rise out of being miserable to their underlings(the Infantry also comes to mind?) . Think it has something to do with having risen above that lower level and they do not want anyone to not notive the fact. Nothing pisses me off faster, I worked for years with subordinates and I never treated anyone like I have been on occasion in the past year and a bit. That is precisely why I walked out on my last boss right at a job site two weeks ago; this is not the first time I have put an end to people with issues that decided to use me as the closest punching bag. I am fortunate though that I am in a position to do so-many are not and have to put up with this nonsence for years. My two cents worth.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i agree about if you busted it and they kinda had it ez, then were out of gear, and got behind; i am less inspired to help.

i do try to do the bulk if i can early, wether of the tree or the farthest dragging point to give them the best chance to stay busy.

A lot of times when i do end up helping, i tend to out pace 'em sometimes; especially when it comes to tecqunique; like balancing load over axle on cart etc.

 

[greenguy]

I have not had any problems with lazy workers. I have not had what you would describe as a groundie in 3 years. Everybody climbs, drives trucks chips brush ,ropes or loads wood. You are given a job to do it gets done. Some days I may not feel like climbing or the tree might be covered in ivy. It does not matter because everybody can climb.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

I'm lucky. When I'm not doing my own work, which is climbing and everything else, I work ground and sometimes climb for a good friend who is as good a climber as it gets. This guy is lucky, he has 3 guys ( counting myself ) that have great work ethics. No complaining, just get it done. Husky288 worked with me the weekend of Aug. 3, 2002. I climbed and we both did the cleanup. Husky288 is a great worker and I'm happy to have him to call on. Rich.

 

[Gopher]

I need to find some workers I can team up with like you guys. I have been bouncing around a bit, and despite being over 40 myself, can get it on. Did some contract climbing for a tree service, and this gut is 58 years old and he works like a 30 year old on a mission. Only problem is he has no organization, isn't as safe as I like, and communicates like an ostrich.

I long for the day I can work beside and with a crew with fortitude knowledge and desire.

Gopher

 

[Reed]

I guess I feel very fortunate and lucky - blessed even perhaps. My son, who is "mini me" except he's a foot taller and only 17 and bright and compassionate, yet faced with deminishing hope for the future in regards to what we had, helps me without malice or complaint and he does a ???? good job - when I need him other wise I'm all by myself most often.

I'm proud to be able to show a growing person that there's more than WalMarts out there and McDonald's jobs or corporate indenturing to some executives and lawyers on the board - there's meaningful and rewarding work that requires some artistic skill and finite judgement. Excellence in other words and I believe that tree work can bring that out in us - you know what I'm talking about.

Sure, there are some deadbeats and never-do-wells but there are also some exceptional people out there - people that just shown a pace will buck-up to it, smile and laugh and create some productive energy, as it's when this happens that jobs like working with trees become magically awesome and rewarding. How often have some of you kept driving back and looking, showing, and bragging about some major incredible job that went just 'tit's' perfect? I know I have and proudly show my son who seems to thirst for it. It sure seems to show on him anyway, as he's a pleasure to work with aside the fact that he's my boy.

I like to just sum-it-up as some thing that show's some of the positive happening yet in the world that many things aren't anymore.

Gotta love life and that which we do 'cause that's who we are. There's no better way.

 

[Gopher]

Working with and enjoying your son's company - what could be better?

My three sons are 6, 4-1/2, and almost two. They already like helping unload the pick-up of firewood (I make sure I always have enough small pieces!) Each has his own demeanor, but that's what makes it so fun. I too will give them options to feel that sense of accomplishment from getting a job done; and done well.

I'm planting the seeds right now. You also sound like a great dad. The world needs more like you.

Thanks for your comments.

Gopher

 

[FBerkel]

Oakwilt,

Great post, and well put.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I work with a lot of different crews. While it is always nice to come out of a tree and only have a little raking to do, I've found that the fastest ccleanup is done by crews without any dedicated groundies.

The crews that do have them need a person to direct them because they are unskilled labor. If someone is down there to show what is expected they tend to follow suit. I've filled the roll on a number of occations. To me a good ground person shuld be like a ballboy on a tennis court, run in there and drag the stuff out while the climber is changing positions, then wait for another peice to drop. On a removal the material should keep moving out and the DZ should be kept clean of twigs too. Hustle, hustle, rest hustle...

Dragging brush for one climber can be boring, it is the crew leaders job to make the workers job fun, that keeps them going. Those of you who are bosses, how many people have said "I like working for him!" to other people. (On this sight I can vouch for Tom D and Fred B and the other John S. They had crew say it to me.)

If you have a succesion of poor emloyees, don't bemoan the labor pool before you examine your training and leadership style.

 

[TREETX]

I have to agree with 165 in that you can't be too proud to drag brush. I do not mind helping a groundy that has made my job easier and been attentive all while moving brush to the curb. All of this without ever having to say "get out of the way" or yelling to locate them. I will bust my butt so we both can hit the AC sooner.

I will not tolerate the guy who you have to constantly give directions. I have a job to do and I don't have the time to tell them over and over what to do. They should make my life easier, not make me work harder. Guys like that can head to McD's for a job.

Make sure you give them the tools and the direction that is all you can do.

If the first thing you do everyday when arriving at the job site is putting out cones, why should you have to tell someone to put out cones everyday??

Life is too short to work with that. I would rather kill myself working alone than put up with that.

 

[jhr]

I would love to work for any of you guys!!!!! I treat my climber like gold! I know he has it hard and it's very stressful in the tree but when he comes down the ground is done!!! I stage my brush to eliminate chipper idle, I have his water for him and sometimes I even take his spurs off for him, I know he appreciates it and the day he doesn't is the day I stop!!! So while I'm bucking wood, chipping and raking he can be spotted leaning up against a tree or talking with a homeowner knowing that the ???? is getting done!!!!