Tree CLIMBER wages?

[Procut]

Ok , I stumbled across this article while looking for out of state employment. NO , I do not need a job but was pondering the possibility of maybe traveling for a short time and finding work. I have NEVER EVER gotten paid less then $32hr for what I do , FOR WHAT WE DO as climbers! Yes , I am aware that more $$ comes with the more skills , extensive on the job experience you possess but REALLY!! Following is a quote from the article along with the link for a full read. I think it is ridiculous. We all know that what we do is dangerous , life threatening and did I mention DANGEROUS? No one twists our arms and forces us into the tree , we love it and must provide for our families and are full aware of the risks involved. I , YOU , YEAH YOU TREE CLIMBER are a few and far between , not you with the big balls attitude , height loving tree climber with no experience whatsoever of how to operate a saw at heights that will make others puke need to be stopped taken advantage of. .......Anyway , sorry for the drama. Here in Hawaii an apprentice makes a minimum of $20hr , what about your area? Just curious.

[ According to a United States Bureau of Labor Statistics study, 38,530 professional tree trimmers and pruners in 2011 made a median annual salary of $31,320 per year, or $15.05 per hour. The bottom 10 percent in this group earned an estimated $19,880 per year, or $9.56 per hour, while the top 10 percent made an estimated $49,550 per year, or $23.82 per hour. The survey excluded self-employed climbers and those who primarily performed landscaping and grounds-keeping duties.] What Does a Tree Climber Get Paid? | Chron.com

 

[StrataTree]

WHAT!!! You get PAID to do this!!!!

For real though, if I said on this forum the LOW wage I get paid to climb, I would get slammed, ridiculed, and laughed off the planet, or at least this forum!!! I know I'm only in my second year climbing, but I started DdRT with a Blakes, and still climb that way, but I am starting to incorporate SRT techniques as well. I have recently switched to a hitchclimber pulley with a V.T. I have bought between 1-2 g's of my own equipment. I work hard and have a great attitude weather I'm climbing or chipping or anything in between. I rock climbed for over 15 years and was a forest tech. For over a decade, so I'm not new to tree work by any means. I run the Bobcat, the stump grinder, I have a CDL and I cut, fall, deliver chips, whatever is needed. I KNOW... I'm gettin WORKED. BUT, I'm still learning and I LOVE what I do. I feel that I will be able to demand a little more $ soon and I'm o.k. with that for now. I work for a residential tree service and also pick up side jobs. My boss broke these statistics out on me when we were discussing raises and I felt like it was a scam that employers use to keep their employees at a lower wage. I know what many of you make, and I'm sure you deserve it but after working dead end jobs for twenty years, I'm o.k with my measly little check for the time being. I work with a really good, humble and cohesive crew, and that's worth somethin...I am in a rural area so I don't have a ton of companies to shop around with and I have a family, so moving isn't in the cards. And for the first, maybe second, time in my life I LIKE going to work! I thought about going on strike from leaving the ground but soon realized that staying on the ground wouldn't do me any good, we have another climber and a contract climber that comes aboard on occasion also. At least I'm gettin paid to learn a great job. I really don't get to hung up on how dangerous it is...driving to work in the morning is dangerous, at least when I'm climbing my life is mostly in MY hands. If I ef up, I pay dearly! So I try to stay focused on every action and visualize each action BEFORE I execute. Hopefully I'm not the only climber workin for pennies, but if I am, so be it! I will be getting certified soon and also going for other certs as well so it won't be too long before my boss will have to pay me more or compete with me... And I guess that's why there are so many tree companies out there... Bosses who won't pay force those of us with skills and ambition to go do our own thing...so they create the very thing they curse, hmmm...:crazy1:

Sounds like many of you are in about the top 2 percentile...nice work!

 

[Procut]

Very well said brother! It seems to me that you know what you want and that you are focused on where you want to be. Your attitude , in all area's , work , family , learning , safety and the acceptance of low wages is absolutely amazing and I wish that others I work with had the same attitude as you. PROPS! Good luck in all you do and want to achieve. Climb safe!

 

[treemandan]

Never? Never Ever?:msp_mellow:

 

[mattfr12]

We pay 20-25$ Depending on reliability and time with the company. Also if they can really do what what they say they can.

 

[formationrx]

WHAT!!! You get PAID to do this!!!!

For real though, if I said on this forum the LOW wage I get paid to climb, I would get slammed, ridiculed, and laughed off the planet, or at least this forum!!! I know I'm only in my second year climbing, but I started DdRT with a Blakes, and still climb that way, but I am starting to incorporate SRT techniques as well. I have recently switched to a hitchclimber pulley with a V.T. I have bought between 1-2 g's of my own equipment. I work hard and have a great attitude weather I'm climbing or chipping or anything in between. I rock climbed for over 15 years and was a forest tech. For over a decade, so I'm not new to tree work by any means. I run the Bobcat, the stump grinder, I have a CDL and I cut, fall, deliver chips, whatever is needed. I KNOW... I'm gettin WORKED. BUT, I'm still learning and I LOVE what I do. I feel that I will be able to demand a little more $ soon and I'm o.k. with that for now. I work for a residential tree service and also pick up side jobs. My boss broke these statistics out on me when we were discussing raises and I felt like it was a scam that employers use to keep their employees at a lower wage. I know what many of you make, and I'm sure you deserve it but after working dead end jobs for twenty years, I'm o.k with my measly little check for the time being. I work with a really good, humble and cohesive crew, and that's worth somethin...I am in a rural area so I don't have a ton of companies to shop around with and I have a family, so moving isn't in the cards. And for the first, maybe second, time in my life I LIKE going to work! I thought about going on strike from leaving the ground but soon realized that staying on the ground wouldn't do me any good, we have another climber and a contract climber that comes aboard on occasion also. At least I'm gettin paid to learn a great job. I really don't get to hung up on how dangerous it is...driving to work in the morning is dangerous, at least when I'm climbing my life is mostly in MY hands. If I ef up, I pay dearly! So I try to stay focused on every action and visualize each action BEFORE I execute. Hopefully I'm not the only climber workin for pennies, but if I am, so be it! I will be getting certified soon and also going for other certs as well so it won't be too long before my boss will have to pay me more or compete with me... And I guess that's why there are so many tree companies out there... Bosses who won't pay force those of us with skills and ambition to go do our own thing...so they create the very thing they curse, hmmm...:crazy1:

Sounds like many of you are in about the top 2 percentile...nice work!

if you are gonna do it.... do it for yourself...

 

[Procut]

Never? Never Ever?:msp_mellow:

As A climber , yes you are correct!

 

[StrataTree]

Very well said brother! It seems to me that you know what you want and that you are focused on where you want to be. Your attitude , in all area's , work , family , learning , safety and the acceptance of low wages is absolutely amazing and I wish that others I work with had the same attitude as you. PROPS! Good luck in all you do and want to achieve. Climb safe!

Thanks for sayin so, looks like I do need a raise though!

I can climb palms barefoot with a machete in my teeth, you hiring?:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Procut]

We pay 20-25$ Depending on reliability and time with the company. Also if they can really do what what they say they can.

Ah hah , I have seen it once to many times. I am a lead climber/foreman for a well established company here in Hawaii and am responsible for interviewing , hiring and releasing of employees. I have had climbers tell me they can do this and that only to be disappointed by their lack of skills.

 

[TreeAce]

just curious, how much do you pay for a gallon of milk in Hawaii? What about a gallon of gas? I have a feeling that 32 an hour there is about like 20 an hour in northern Ohio. Which is pretty good pay for a pretty good climber.

 

[RAG66]

Wish I had enough work to hire a climber better than me. IF I found such an individual I'd pay well to retain him. I am no superstar only a 17 year climber who runs my own show. I figure I make about 20-30/hr. after all is washed and dried. Still there are trees I will not climb because I am scared, or tree is too big, bucket work ETC.

 

[Bandit Man]

climber

I'm blessed in this area. I guess my climber is also. If there is a tree I'm uncomfortable with, or if I want to run the ground crew personally, I have a 25 year tree vet(retired) who climbs for me. I pay him $50 per hour. Mind you, this man can put a 30 ton tree over houses and power lines on the ground in 3-4 hours. He's sitting by the pool by noon with a cold beer, and I love him like a brother-in-law! Which he is. LOL!!:msp_biggrin:

 

[Procut]

just curious, how much do you pay for a gallon of milk in Hawaii? What about a gallon of gas? I have a feeling that 32 an hour there is about like 20 an hour in northern Ohio. Which is pretty good pay for a pretty good climber.

A gallon of milk is over $5.00 with our gas close to that per gallon. And $32 was the LEAST I have gotten as a climber , years ago! But I believe everything is much more expensive here in Hawaii to compensate for shipping , I guess.

 

[richard t]

I'm blessed in this area. I guess my climber is also. If there is a tree I'm uncomfortable with, or if I want to run the ground crew personally, I have a 25 year tree vet(retired) who climbs for me. I pay him $50 per hour. Mind you, this man can put a 30 ton tree over houses and power lines on the ground in 3-4 hours. He's sitting by the pool by noon with a cold beer, and I love him like a brother-in-law! Which he is. LOL!!:msp_biggrin:

Next big job you use you're brother in law on I'm willing to buy the beer and pay him 50 an hour just to come and watch Talk is cheap

 

[Procut]

I'm blessed in this area. I guess my climber is also. If there is a tree I'm uncomfortable with, or if I want to run the ground crew personally, I have a 25 year tree vet(retired) who climbs for me. I pay him $50 per hour. Mind you, this man can put a 30 ton tree over houses and power lines on the ground in 3-4 hours. He's sitting by the pool by noon with a cold beer, and I love him like a brother-in-law! Which he is. LOL!!:msp_biggrin:

Yep , there have been those times that I have been uncomfortable before a climb , second guessing myself. I have on one occasion brought in another climber to assist me in the tree and had paid $50hr as well. Upon observing his skills as a 5yr climber , I now use him when needed.

 

[Bandit Man]

Not sure if Richard T is being a smart ass or not. Here is the last job BIL helped out on. Have had several customers ask for him to climb personally when referrals come. If you did watch him climb/cut Richard , you'd buy beer and give him a raise. View attachment 299900

 

[TreeAce]

Not sure if Richard T is being a smart ass or not. Here is the last job BIL helped out on. Have had several customers ask for him to climb personally when referrals come. If you did watch him climb/cut Richard , you'd buy beer and give him a raise. View attachment 299900

No offense but I hope u realize that tree isnt jack diddly squat. Just saying.

 

[Blakesmaster]

No offense but I hope u realize that tree isnt jack diddly squat. Just saying.

The stubs are quite telling as well.

 

[gorman]

What's with that hand in the tree?
Looks pretty tit to me as well.

 

[StrataTree]

Is Bill wearing any PPE? :msp_mellow:

Groundie isn't!!! Is that you?