Groundie search. What is reasonable to expect?

PaJeepMan-

I would suspect he'd be getting around $20/ hour after that amount of time and experience, with a CDL. Sounds like it could be more if he is supervising the ground crew somewhat/ completely, allowing the climber to focus entirely on the climbing.

Sounds like it would be worth that to me. Sounds like that amount of time would mean looking out for the company's best interest, which would in turn deserve the company looking out for his best interest.

After that amount of time, I would think that health insurance would be a good perk and retention tool.
 
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Groundie pay will vary with location


Scenerio:
Groundie with you for 6.5 years
never missed a day of work(except sick twice)
never used drugs, drinks occasionally
clean cut
Class A CDL with 0 accidents ever
Can use any piece of equipement(grinder, skidsteer, knuckleboom)
Can do general takedowns and deadwood with bucket
knows what the climber will need for the job and gets it before he asks for it
Doesn't have insurance with the company(not offered)
keep in mind he isn't a dummy and could find another job, left better paying job for this less stressful job with more "normal" hours

What do you think you would pay him?

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$28.00 an hour.

or somewhere from $22 to $30 an hour with good perks and stuff.
 
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man MD pays high. wonder if Cutten wants to car pool?
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no, Maryland doesn't pay so high, it's just Arbor-X.

It's worth it to me having good skilled guys verses clearing more profit.

Cuttenwolf is no longer a full time employee, as the drive and missing his family during the week was too much. And who wants to sell their house in this economy?
 
It's a race to the bottom out there with alot of companies. They are in a hurry to close business so don't take the time to really sell the value of the company.


Good on ya ArborX, I'll come down and help out if you need it!
 
How to tell when you are hiring a good groundy. Check out the back of their helmets...
 

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Giant Slayer,

That is a wonderful picture! Seeing details like that shows that the person is creative and comfortable.

I noticed that you named the picture 'first rate groundie'

There are so many words and phrases in common use that have nautical origins. 'First Rate' is one...but the original meaning is a bit different than how we use it these days.

The Royal Navy rated their ships by the number of guns they had in use. Read the rating system here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-rate

Then, there are other classifications of the abilities that were used to classify their seaworthiness.

In our connotation the 'first rate' has come to mean the best, plain and simple. The ribbon is sign of a first rate worker!
 
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Good on ya ArborX, I'll come down and help out if you need it!

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cool, if you are serious, we could possibly use your help. we can continue over PM.
 
Hello all. Just thought I'd chime in with my 2 cents.

Southsound, you said "I wonder if I expect too much". While I'm not an expert, not loosing bar nuts, not flooding your saw, watching your chain tension and most importantly, not standing in the drop zone, are basic essential tasks of performing the job of a groundie. So how is expecting someone to do the basic essentials of their job expecting too much??? I understand that someone who is green has to be taught certain things. Other things like not standing in a place where a large heavy object may land on you and kill you, should be common sense. If you drop your nuts (bar nuts that is) you should learn from that and then take action in the future to not let it happen again. This I think is called learning from your mistakes. Those are the easy ones (put the nuts in your pocket, twist tie em to the handle, whatever). If your groundie doesn't have the ability to learn from his mistakes and modify his actions to perform the most basic tasks, how will he learn more advanced tasks such as rigging, safely running and maintaining saws and equipment, etc? Unfortunately I think your question should be "Why isn't he learning these basic tasks (lack of interest, unhappy with his job, inability to learn)?" and then "Is he safe and productive enough to keep on as an employee?"

Just my thoughts.

- BarnHouse
 
Barnhouse-

I completely agree with you. That's why I'd wanted to know if I was just expecting too much.



Questions to all-

In addition to the BuzzBoard, where is the best place you all have found for hiring a good tree worker?
 
We have a new guy that just doesn't seem to want to do the ground job... wants to get up in the trees. He has no experience on the ground or in the tree. Hard to find good help these days.
 
I've said this before, my best ground worker is my wife. We run a small family tree business so usually its just the two of us, but have had two workers on the ground before.

My wife Heide can run her own saw and the GRCS and also knows how to tie the basic rigging knots for tree work.

What I really like about having her as my ground-lady (besides the fact that I get to spend more time with her) is that she doesn't come off with a macho trying to prove how tough she is attitude. I have found and heard from others that women make some of the best tree workers and its true.
 
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$28.00 an hour.
or somewhere from $22 to $30 an hour with good perks and stuff.

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That is very good pay. So how about this:

Dependable, motivated person.
Organized and detail oriented (sometimes to a fault by some people's standards).
Willing to learn all aspects of tree work including climbing.
Class A CDL (w/tanker endorsement, would get hazmat endorsement at own cost if needed).
Clean driving record other then a minor no-fault accident.
Healthy w/no drug or alcohol problems.
Has run and maintained various machinery (bulldozer, mowers, tractors, vehicles, etc.)
Would provide own PPE and climbing equipment.
Has experience operating a chainsaw and felling trees but for this example should be considered "green".
Has enough common sense not to stand in the drop zone.

So what is the person worth?
 
When I took a rock climbing course the instructor also said women tend to be better climbers at the beginning. Primarily due to their approach being one of grace vs. brawn.

Men think they can brute their way through things whereas women will find a way that they'll manage without the strength. Men will only come to this after a while when they realize the advantage of conserving their energy.
 
the cdl and the some saw experience and felling should earn them $10 an hour in my opinion, and they might move up quickly from there.

I've jumped a guy in 2 or 3 weeks, from starting at $9.00 an hour, to $20 an hour. but that doesn't happen very often.
 
well me as a new arborist/company owner i feel lucky to have 1 groundman that can work and put his good opinion in. He may not always get to the job ontime. He may cut my rigging rope(one time). He may smash my 550 dollar trim saw when he leaves it in the drop zone. You just have to take the loss because he is worth it. He may be a drinker/smoker, but he knows what he is doing still.. i brought him into this industry and I also did all the stupid things you do the first 2 years while you are learning the basics.

I fear the day i have to find a new groundman..maybe i wont have to

he is a friend..since 8 years old..so that helps..we have fun at work.

i try and pay him 10 to 15 an hour when i can.

Our duo is kinda funny..even though he is a blockhead sometimes.. I can be too.. i like to ask him questions that i already know and see what he says..also once in a while i will want to do something sub smart and he will catch it.

I may be a newbie compaired to most on here but as long as i use my head and always strive to be safe.. Im going to grow to be a happy business owner.


this is a part time operation..so we will see how much i can grow it.
 
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