Call to regulation pros/cons...

moss said:
I often urge potential customers to get multiple quotes, I give them the names of tree services to call. Or I might recommend a tree service to do something I don't do like insecticide applications. I get interesting feedback from the customers, some of the tree services I've recommended come in and try to sell everything they can beyond what the customer was initially looking for, cabling, takedowns, etc. etc. They're on autopilot, they get removed from my "call for a quote" list.
-AJ
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Too many salesmen. I try to not sell, but give facts and opinion. I think that creates the long term loyal customer.
 
Chaplain242 said:
This is specific to my city - in the inner city to be more specific. Overdevelopment has seen tree populations plummet in some areas. In one municipality the city compares satellite photos from the year before and if trees have been removed the homeowner gets cited with a tree planting order and/or a fine.
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Thank you for clarifying. That makes sense to me.
 
Imo it's inevitable that this industry forms a union.

I intentionally steered my sons n daughter far away from this biz.

Why? Because I have firsthand knowledge of just how dangerous and bloody it can be.

Who the hell wants to see their kids sucked through a fuckin chipper?

Jemco
 
Jemco said:
Imo it's inevitable that this industry forms a union.
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Yeah, it really does feel like that's coming. You can see that attitude coming from people in the biz trying to protect their footholds. All I'll say is this ... there go the trees. The average person already hates to spend the money on something that keeps growing back, and the thing has to be an outright danger before you can get some customers to ante up. Just fix the price and eliminate competition and see what happens. Not only will the biz suffer, but homeowners might finally take the initiative and learn how to climb their own trees - you'll be able to buy the saddle and ropes from Lowe's.

We've already had to bail out the US auto industry because the foreigners figured out how to build 'em better and cheaper. I guess we'll never learn. And one more thing, ISA will be nothing more than a certifying stop, because the mission to save the trees will be over. The only way to save the tree is to get someone onto the customers site, so unless we can get everyone a bunch of disposable income ... Hey, maybe we can get the government to subsidize the work.
 
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Birdyman88 said:
Yeah, it really does feel like that's coming. You can see that attitude coming from people in the biz trying to protect their footholds. All I'll say is this ... there go the trees. The average person already hates to spend the money on something that keeps growing back, and the thing damn near has to be an outright danger before you can get some customers to ante up. Just fix the price and eliminate competition and see what happens. Not only will the biz suffer, but homeowners might finally take the initiative and learn how to climb their own trees - you'll be able to buy the saddle and ropes from Lowe's.

We've already had to bail out the US auto industry because the foreigners figured out how to build 'em better and cheaper. I guess we'll never learn. And one more thing, ISA will be nothing more than a certifying stop, because the mission to save the trees will be over. The only way to save the tree is to get someone onto the customers site, so unless we can get everyone a bunch of disposable income ... Hey, maybe we can get the government to subsidize the work.
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Like a court appointed attourney?
 
Lotsa countries plan on planting millions of trees and taking real good care of them.

I'm all for creating an arborists union that utilizes the cutting edge of high tech to make this a safer and more lucrative occupation, for the workers actually doin the fuckin work.

Jemco
 
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Jemco said:
Lotsa countries plan on planting millions of trees and taking real good care of them.

I'm all for creating an arborists union that utilizes the cutting edge of high tech to make this a safer and more lucrative occupation, for the workers actually doin the fuckin work.

Jomoc
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Not convinced the workers will benefit.

Have worked a few different jobs with union representation and seen the union sell out workers to protect a ‘deal’ they reached.

Plus suits usually want a sizeable share for administering anything.

Maybe different where you are?
 
My most lucrative year as a State Licensed Contractor, subbing out to multiple outfits, as a demolition climber, was 110K.

About double most year's average between 50-60K.

How many CEO's make multimillion annual salaries without risking their necks?

The dignity of hard labor's being pissed on, by too many Americans IMO.

Jemco
 
More regs, rules, permits, licensing, taxation, and fees. Who cares about the small time operator or everyday working man who's just trying to feed his babies, keeps the lights on, and throw his dog a bone. I think I will pass on all the nonsense and just stay down here in the woods doing whatever the fuck I want!!!!
 
I’m a member of United Steel Workers at my day job... from what I can tell the purpose is mostly just protection. A guy nodded off while driving a fork truck, and drove into a wall, some damage to wall and the truck. Tested positive for opiates so he was sent to rehab with full pay. The company wanted to fire him. I don’t blame them, he just as easily could’ve killed someone.

Asplundh, Lewis-Monroe, Davey, and all the other big line clearance outfits can survive with a labor union (most of them are already unionized here), but a lot of the smaller residential and commercial tree companies will have a hard time staying afloat. I don’t even wanna know what kinda cash they have to spend on lawyers during arbitration cases for fired employees.

They do get involved in worker safety, but do any of you need someone to tell you that injuries, fatalities, and occupation related illness is expensive? You may own your business, but you’ll no longer be running your business.
 
The sad reality's there are thousands of fly by night outfits hiring right outta the Wally World parking lot every fuggin morning.

If dude gets chipped alive?

No worries, Peter's got their backs.......

Jemco
 
Jemco said:
My most lucrative year as a State Licensed Contractor
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Big difference between being licensed and being union. I personally have no problem with licensing.

And I spent a career working for companies that didn't have unions, and I also made a butt load of money. I did all my own bargaining - I didn't need somebody doing it for me. I just made sure I was the guy they never wanted to fire, and I got plenty of leeway with salary. It's not just the work I did; but, I put up with a lot of stress and long hours to get there, but I am proud of that. I have no problem with competition, and that's what it ultimately comes down to.
 
Here in SoCal, finding a climber physically fit enough to prune 100+ foot eucs without gaffs ain't easy.

And putting unfit climbers up there without gaffs all too often results in injuries n work man's comp claims.

Which is why so many board certified master arborists here have been known to look the other way, except when the city/county inspector's on site.

Which is one of the reasons so many 75-100 foot bucket trucks are in use now throughout SoCal.

Jemco
 
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