When is enough, enough?

[Crazy Canuck]

???? kid showed up half an hour late again today. My old groundie is back working for me and learning to climb. He was such a good dependable worker when he worked for me before that when I needed a new helper I all but begged him to come back, gave him a raise to $12 and hooked him up with saddle, rope, etc so he could start learning to climb. Whats his excuse today?? His girlfriend of a whole two months broke up with him last night so he was up half the night talking to her and couldn't get out of bed. If he's as much as 2 minutes late tomorrow I'm gonna can his a$$.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Sometimes people go through phases.

I would not can him but just send him home for the a few days to think about wether he wants to keep the job or not.

Tell him now, document this and the conversation, then if he does it again and comes back after suspention, have him sign the second documentation....

If you dont think he's worth it anymore, start searching for a new peorson now.

 

[vharrison2]

:blob5: One of our guys comes in at 10:30 this morning...safety meeting started at 7:30 am. Hum, last week (he had been in the pokey for a violation) it was: he didn't know the time had changed, this morning his alarm failed him ( said he was going to destroy the spiderman ) We have heard all types of excuses. Bottom line if you want to work, then get your b#tt to work on time. The guy that was late this am is a young guy and has great potential as a climber, just needs to grow up a little. Paitence, I guess

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

:blob5: One of our guys comes in at 10:30 this morning...safety meeting started at 7:30 am. Hum, last week (he had been in the pokey for a violation) it was: he didn't know the time had changed, this morning his alarm failed him ( said he was going to destroy the spiderman ) We have heard all types of excuses. Bottom line if you want to work, then get your b#tt to work on time.

And as an employer you have to give them all the rope thay can carry before you hang them out.

Document, document, document...

 

[NeTree]

Sounds almost like Jeff Foxworthy's definition of S.I.N.G.L.E. ...

'cuz it seems like it's always the young single guys that give you the most attendance issues.

 

[Old Monkey]

Try to put it to him in a way where he makes the judgment himself and comes up with his own punishment. "Listen _____ here is my situation, I told the customer we'd start work at 8am. At 8am there I am with no climber, it makes me look unprofessional and I am loosing money waiting for you to show up. I like you and I want to work something out but I can't run a business like this." Then ask him what he would do in your circumstances. Kids will usually come up with harder punishments for themselves when they are asked to asses their own actions.

Or do it the old school way and yell at him and put the fear of God in him.

 

[P_woozel]

I dont know what the cost of living is where you live but 12.00/hr isnt anything but cheap wages, you couldnt pay rent, eat and make it to work in this place on such paltry wages.

 

[Koa Man]

I had one employee who missed work every Monday. His excuses were, "I can't find my shoes." "I have to wait for the trash man." "I need to go pickup firewood for a party." At that I told him, "Maybe you should go into the party business because I don't have anymore work for you."

He couldn't give the excuse of his car breaking down because he had no car and at 35 years old, still lived with his parents.

 

[jason j ladue]

jps has a great idea, let the kid think about it a while- stew in his own juice. maybe remind him of how much hope you have for him and how highly you regard him and his potential to be a great climber/treeman. then tell him how disappointed you are (w/him) for not focusing on the more important things/that potential...some like that. then send him home...

 

[Brock2saws]

???? kid showed up half an hour late again today. My old groundie is back working for me and learning to climb. He was such a good dependable worker when he worked for me before that when I needed a new helper I all but begged him to come back, gave him a raise to $12 and hooked him up with saddle, rope, etc so he could start learning to climb. Whats his excuse today?? His girlfriend of a whole two months broke up with him last night so he was up half the night talking to her and couldn't get out of bed. If he's as much as 2 minutes late tomorrow I'm gonna can his a$$.

It's pretty simple really. Don't fire him because you're pissed off. Determine whether he meets your expectations as an employee. If he doesn't, you'll know what to do.

Groundies come and go. Some you miss, some you can't remember thier names--kinda like girlfriends really.

 

[vharrison2]

And as an employer you have to give them all the rope thay can carry before you hang them out.

Document, document, document...

Roger that, the ole "Disciplinary Action Record".they hate signing that thing. Whine that it wasn't their fault...it is never their fault.

Old Monkey, great idea about letting them come up with an idea. May try that.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

I dont know what the cost of living is where you live but 12.00/hr isnt anything but cheap wages, you couldnt pay rent, eat and make it to work in this place on such paltry wages.

$12 an hour here is a very good wage. Mimimum wage is $6 and I know climbers with 3yrs experience making $15 at other companies. Average wage for a groundie around here is $8- $10. We had a talk and he's going to shape up. I explained to him why I wanted him back and what I expect, he says he can see where I'm coming from and he'll shape up. I hope he does because he has great potential and I really want him to work out.

 

[chicken89]

here in ohio, min wage is 5.15. $12 an hour is great wage. at my job, we start at $8 and get raises based on knowledge... usually $1 raise incriments
i currently get $9. enough to pay bills, little $ for movies and such

 

[P_woozel]

Wow, I hope living is as cheap, are u guys charging around 60-65.00 per manhour?

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Wow, I hope living is as cheap, are u guys charging around 60-65.00 per manhour?

I'm charging $80 pmh


And he doesn't have to worry about showing up on time for a couple of days....

In my other thread I talked about my trans going out and having no truck untill today. THis morning we did my neighbours yard and then I rode down to the mechanics to get my truck. There was a mix up with my trans and the shop doesn't have mine in stock like they thought they did, sooooooo It looking like wed or thurs before I have a truck.

 

[P_woozel]

Let me get this straight, you charge 80.00 a man hour and pay a climber with three years experience15.00 and a ground man 12.00 WOW you made your bed so lay in it. You might try opening the purse alittle you'll see some results.

 

[P_woozel]

Not if some guy is charging 80.00 he can squeeze someone else, no wonder quality help is hard to find.

 

[tinman44]

I dont know what the cost of living is where you live but 12.00/hr isnt anything but cheap wages, you couldnt pay rent, eat and make it to work in this place on such paltry wages.

yeah plus for like 1$ US you get like 1.7 of canadian right? or is that backwards?

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Right now the dollar is pretty strong (or actually its the us dollar thats gotten weaker) so its closer to $1 US gets you about $1.25 Canadian. i don't pay climbers $15/ hour. I don't have any climbers working for me, just me and the one groundie. Not all is equal up here either. For example gas right now is $0.89 per litre. How many litres are in a gallon? I think its 4.7, so with that in mind we are paying $4.183 per gallon for gas. You have to figure in the exchange rate when buying equipment because our dealers buy from the same suppliers as yours, except they are still selling stock from before the dollar went up so prices still reflect the old exchange rate wich was closer to $1.50. You may not think $12 is a good wage for a groundie but I can tell you that around here it is an exceptional wage. Back home in Seattle, I couldn't even dream of living off that. Here for a 20 year old kid living at home with his parents and no education or experience as anything other than a labourer, its probably the best wage he can find almost anywhere around here.

 

[newb]

I must be lucky. My grounder does it all. When I setting up a cut, hes clearing brush or raking. When I'm setting my ropes hes gasing up the saws or getting gear out of the truck. He lost his license because of drinking so I pick him up in the morning. Heres the catch. I pay him $100 a day. He gets the same no matter how long the job takes. Am I paying him to much? Not after hearing the complaints for others.