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Lewis Tree quality company?
- Thread starter Wiredp
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start em younghttp://arboristsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=84570&stc=1&d=1229887253Lewis Tree also Lewis/Monroe tree service was on the brink of bankruptcy & going under, well.... a Pittsburgh Union with some 3rd party intervention(illegal I hear) helps get them financed and acquire some line work.
Why? well... union was given an altamatum to sell off their benefits, I say union President got himself a little kickback...but never the less many being scared of losing their jobs & just wanting to make retirement "stupidly" vote in this contract, thought was if the union helped Lewis then Lewis would help the Union and business as usual!
Backfire, well...Lewis started to grow & certain Union members saw an opportunity to jump into management & did.......guess what? it started with 1 lazy backstabbing worthless union man, he hires family members & promotes them along with friends freom the field.....who couldnt operate a rake & broom let alone climb....but the union stood up for these bums & NOW... they`re sticking to the bargaining unit......HARD!
Lewis use to have a garbage service in the Buffalo/Syracuse area, they had a florida based company purchase a controlling amount of stock back in the late 90`s........now they`re employee owned.......I worked for them! They are basically a scab company with insider info underbidding the competition to grow larger!
Work for em but beware! they are IMO worst than green & Yellow & big orange!
LXT..............
Why? well... union was given an altamatum to sell off their benefits, I say union President got himself a little kickback...but never the less many being scared of losing their jobs & just wanting to make retirement "stupidly" vote in this contract, thought was if the union helped Lewis then Lewis would help the Union and business as usual!
Backfire, well...Lewis started to grow & certain Union members saw an opportunity to jump into management & did.......guess what? it started with 1 lazy backstabbing worthless union man, he hires family members & promotes them along with friends freom the field.....who couldnt operate a rake & broom let alone climb....but the union stood up for these bums & NOW... they`re sticking to the bargaining unit......HARD!
Lewis use to have a garbage service in the Buffalo/Syracuse area, they had a florida based company purchase a controlling amount of stock back in the late 90`s........now they`re employee owned.......I worked for them! They are basically a scab company with insider info underbidding the competition to grow larger!
Work for em but beware! they are IMO worst than green & Yellow & big orange!
LXT..............
Tomtrees, if you truly know the retired owner....I would love to let him know of the worthless employees running his company giving it a bad name! If he has any pride or care? tell him to PM me or you PM me with his name & number. He probably wanted better for his company than what it is growing into!!
LXT............
LXT............
JeffL
ArboristSite Guru
Wired, if it was springtime I'd tell you to give us a shot down in Northampton, but I dont foresee us doing any hiring for the next 2-3 months. Wish I could help bud. Not sure where in the Berkshires you're from, but we do quite a bit of work up in Dalton for Crane & Co paper company, maybe you've seen us around. Green trucks, yellow lettering, C.L. Frank & Co. 
Wiredp
ArboristSite Member
I believe that I have seen your trucks. I live in Pittsfield near the rotary. I am sure you know where that is. I am very seriously thinking about getting the permit for my CDL. I know that I can't get my license because I don't know how to drive standard although I have been showed twice while my friend needed a DD. I did very well, but need TONS of practice. With practice I am sure I can pass the test. Thank you all for your help and guidance as I do truly appreciate it. I will hopefully become a real man one of these days and learn standard. I have been wanting to, but didn't know anyone with one.
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Definitely get your CDL. Class B is all you need. You can get into a school for a little over a grand and they will teach yo everything, or you can get the books and study up. I am gonna go for mine this summer. I have talked to a few people that took the test around here. Flatbed with an AUTOMATIC. Sounds pretty good to me. Standard shift is something that comes with practice. Those diesel trucks aren't hard to learn on besides finding gears.
clearance
Addicted to ArboristSite
Nice insult. I would like to see you climb up above a three phase and remove overhang. An energized three phase that is. Residential, wow, the danger, I mean you might rip down an eavestrough if you let a branch drop onto it, attached to the tree even. Try that with a powerline.
Clearance I didnt mean to get you all riled up man. Its just that I know lewis well, I have had more than a few of thier old employees work here and one of my good friends works for them still. I know what goes on over there, most of those guys cant even tie knots. I had one of thier "top guys" come here for awhile last summer - that turned into such a nightmare I didnt even bother starting a "new help might have to go 3" thread. This guy had to put a snap cut on ash logs in order to chunk them down with the bucket - every cut (supposed to be making 18" firewood for the HO) a 27" piece of "firewood" ka..crack. man was that annoying.
I know there are some good ones dude, calm down.
I know there are some good ones dude, calm down.
Wiredp
ArboristSite Member
I find it hard to be calm when I get calls from school loan repayment companies too often for my liking. It is also that in some ways I am regretting taking the job I have now because I keep wondering if it would be better to be on unemployment because I know there are ways of getting them to pay for trainings although I do not know if that would apply to this industry. I just can't bring myself to do it because I never want to be unemployed. I can suceed my current job it is just the fact that I want to be outside again. I generally just want to move. I have applied for a few things in MD, some things in Pittsfield area, and some stuff in the Boston area.
This has nothing to do with my job search just a little curiosity. On my way home today on the pike, I saw a tree company near the entrance to 291. Does anyone know the name?
I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years in case I don't get the chance.
This has nothing to do with my job search just a little curiosity. On my way home today on the pike, I saw a tree company near the entrance to 291. Does anyone know the name?
I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years in case I don't get the chance.
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
Having been over three phase removing overhang for years and doing residential I actually can form an opinion. First both are a profession imo
and valuable to our society. One differance is; when you tear that gutter
off you have to fix it out of your pocket. That is a benefit of learning the
basic climbing from a large corporation such as big O or yellow and brown
so that when you make a mistake they can pay its' costs. I have not had
one claim ever but have had some minor repairs to fences etc. I have also
got one loose on the lines before and yes it was scary but I was out of the
path of least resistance so was unharmed,it did drop the fuse because I could not get it off with my pruner rated for the job. Many meet their end
by panic and cutting the limb loose with a saw which is conductible and can
put you directly in the path of amperage! The tree is conductible also if
however you are positioned above the limb energized you should not be
subjected to voltage and I cautiously say should not because power is
a strange foe. Oh and that is only if you do not make contact
with the energized limb and please don't try it as it was merely
said to prevent panic if you are in this situation. It also was to
give someone removing over hang the idea to get above it if possible to avoid completing the circuit!
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ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
Look I don't know your age but lets say 20, if you are that age and teachable and wondering if this is the career for you? I will suggest you follow your heart and do what you feel is in your best interest. Having said that I would suggest staying in school until you achieve a BS at least because it seems more valuable than thirty years service with corporations these days. It is not but they seem to promote a college boy more than any experiance level to the detriment of man- kind!
#1 that rope.
as for the line clearance/Residential debate... Line clearance is the more dangerous of the 2, however residential is more phsically demanding! personally I would rather have a contract myself doing Line work!!
LXT..........
clearance
Addicted to ArboristSite
I get touchy about the slagging us utility guys get, for good reason. Anyways, no offence and a Merry Christmas to you.
Merry Christmas to you as well clearance - you utility line hacker!
Kidding! Kidding, lol. Happy holidays!
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
Hey what you need is a rep I mean someone willing to go out on a limb get in their face and speak up for you guys! I would be delighted to do so:angel:
Of course I need a living from it:Eye: Awaiting nomination lol.
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
Some times its' more dangerous in residential when removing a large technical takedown of course I have done those for power as well when I was danger tree expert at the job before working for myself. I would love a contract to trim power steady work would really help my suffering business.
clearance
Addicted to ArboristSite
Its a thankless task, as you may already know. You can't win, they hate you for cutting pos trees down, and cry and mew when the pos trees they pressured the utility into saving rip down the line and they got no power.
Merry Christmas Rope.
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
Merry Christmas clearance yeah I know the scoop, my boss that retired before I quit was a stand up sob though and it made a huge differance. The chicken poop that took his place was heading to fist city with me fast and rather than put my wife in a bad position I quit. I sometimes truly regret that decision but I am now exploring different opportunities back in the sector!
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Lewis
I work for Lewis, I run a three man climbing crew in western MA. The GF's in this area are all really good and really care about their guys!!!! If you are looking to learn about arboriculture this is not the place to learn it. But we are part of union IBEW local 42 in western MA. we get a Lot of overtime and the work load is pretty laid back. The pay is good and out of the bigger utility tree companies Lewis is the best. I have worked with them all. If you are looking for stable work, Lewis is a good choice. If you have the chance to stay in school, DO IT!!!!!!! give me a call if you have any questions about lewis, i can probably hook you up with a job, or give you more info
Merry X-MAS
Jeff B
508-572-2013
I work for Lewis, I run a three man climbing crew in western MA. The GF's in this area are all really good and really care about their guys!!!! If you are looking to learn about arboriculture this is not the place to learn it. But we are part of union IBEW local 42 in western MA. we get a Lot of overtime and the work load is pretty laid back. The pay is good and out of the bigger utility tree companies Lewis is the best. I have worked with them all. If you are looking for stable work, Lewis is a good choice. If you have the chance to stay in school, DO IT!!!!!!! give me a call if you have any questions about lewis, i can probably hook you up with a job, or give you more info
Merry X-MAS
Jeff B
508-572-2013
Wiredp
ArboristSite Member
When I went to college, I did not know what I wanted to do. I came out with a BA in History. I took it because it was something that I didn't feel I knew enough about. That is the same reason I am interested in tree work. I know there are many aspects of this job that I want to learn. I respect people with all kinds of knowledge and would like to have half as much as many people that I meet. I am a person that likes steady work and have liked the residential work that I have helped with. I have read in posts on here that big companies are the way to go when you are starting out as they offer you good opportunities, is this true? I would like to work as a groundman for a little while and hopefully learn to climb, would that be possible working for Lewis or is there no real chance of advancement or learning? I really like that you guys do emergency response work because helping people is something that I do enjoy.
treemanb
Where does Lewis work out of in Western Mass? I know I have seen your trucks in Lee, but just on the street. How have you guys been dealing with the ice storm work?
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Thanks
Pete
treemanb
Where does Lewis work out of in Western Mass? I know I have seen your trucks in Lee, but just on the street. How have you guys been dealing with the ice storm work?
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Thanks
Pete
