Living Wage?

Seems I've heard of deals where university employees get a good deal on their kids' tuition. If that pertains in this case it would certainly be a factor.
 
The uni. give a deal for facualty on their going to school there. In my case it is half tuition some are quarter, and I have heard of full ride at some if the you have over so many years put in.
 
All joking aside Louie, I'd really urge you to set up a retirement plan. Just a simple IRA for $25/week could add up to $300K-$600K in 30 years. The market is starting to do well and getting the plan in motion earlier is the key. You should chat with the boss about starting one for all of the employees.

I also would suggest a life insurance plan too. I know it seems like you can't afford it sometimes, but it is just like putting money in the bank for later. It may cost you $60K over 20 years, but if you don't die ( /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif) you can collect about $120K or more to help with retirement.
 
That is want my brain was farting on Mark (feels like you whacked it now ) the bennies now adays offer you the options of increaseing your retirment are great. For the lack of saying that the market is your toy in some bennies you have the options of moving your money around and are not just stuck hoping for a good year when you retire.
Yes Yes to the ins. I have whole familiy coverage and for some dumb reason I do not come home to my family they are covered. The same with retirement is with insurances you can pick and choose.
All of this is not that much starting out but in the lonmg run you make out where you feel comfy.
 
hey, quit knocking GA!!! /forum/images/graemlins/bangtard.gif , some of us pay good, as a matter of fact most of the "good" climbers(with Cert.)that i know make twice that.... come to atlanta, i would pay you more than 11.00, and some good benefits to top it off. there are some great trees here (ask Tom!)
 
The urban forest in Atlanta is much nicer than in either Denver or Minneapolis. No discussion. There are so many great trees here to work on and some crappy ones too :)

The whole employment package needs to be considered. Wages are part. so are benefits. The work environment can be rated but it would be hard to put a value on how much a bad workplace costs in emotional and mental costs.
 
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The work environment can be rated but it would be hard to put a value on how much a bad workplace costs in emotional and mental costs.

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Words of wisdom there Tom!!!

Doing sub-standard work and saftey issues can make life miserable at any pay. More tolerable with better pay but still miserable. Been throught in a few times more than I'd care to.
 
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The urban forest in Atlanta is much nicer than in either Denver or Minneapolis. No discussion. There are so many great trees here to work on and some crappy ones too :)

The whole employment package needs to be considered. Wages are part. so are benefits. The work environment can be rated but it would be hard to put a value on how much a bad workplace costs in emotional and mental costs.

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Makes sense to me! Ever since I got back here, to the front range, after working for a couple monthes back east- my attitude has been crap!
 
Iowa, Come To Texas- We have a company Canoe! The office is not far from town lake. We all get off at 3 or 4, that will leave some time in your life for fishing from the top of some big Bald Cypress trees on the bank. Thats way to little $ for some one who can show up on time and do their job. As far a benifits go, they do add up but taking good care of your self is the best benifit.
 
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"How much is a lawyer worth"

Is that alive or dead?

Make up your own mind about it. You have to live with it.

Do you have health insurance, I don't.
Any sort of life insurance? Not one of those for me either.
How about a retirement plan? I do have one of those, my plan is to die early of a massive heart attack brought on by all the fast food I scarfe down in the truck between jobs. What are your hours like. I get paid for forty, but generally work 60.

You may not make a lot per hour, but that isn't the only thing you should be considering.

Weigh all the plusses and minusses, not just $$$.

The big question... Do you enjoy your job?

I do, and that makes it all worth it.

Louie Hampton

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wow.. thats the truth right there...figure out what you have to do to move up... and do it..your pay rate currently sucks..sorry im being real.
i just moved to a commercial/municipal outfit..as an area manager...and i hate the whole production theme and the quality of employees it draws...but in two or three years i can become a contract administrator for a city and have my bennies that the city job has...i gross 4500 a mo..net 3900 pay 2000 for rent and have 1900 to pay all the bills and feed 4 soon to be 5 kids and the wife..and have to budget like you wouldnt believe..but i will have health and dental for us all in six months...thats worth about 1200 a month right there.
if i want any fun i hit the side job circuit and make 30 an hour helping small outfits on the weekend..
LIVING WAGE...HARDLY...MORE LIKE SURVIVING WAGE. you just have to think about where you will be in a few years from now..visualize and go for it....and dont be afraid to hopscotch along and grow your resume
good luck
 
Look at pay rates for other types of work around the University. What's a painter get? What's a plumber get? OK, plumber maybe a bad examlpe but you get the idea.
 
I am unsure of what the state of Georgia pays but here in Alaska a good climber gets about $20/hr. I need one right now and can help with moving costs if you would like to come check it out for the summer. Call me at (907)441-1843 if interested (or know anyone else who is).
Mike
 
Thanks for the response I've received from everyone in response to the "Living Wage" posting.

My job title is "Equipment Operator Two", which is a very general classification here at the University and has nothing to do with my daily duties except the fact that I have a commercial drivers license. There is no mention of tree care in my job description. I spoke to my boss in regard to this matter and he has agreed to look into ther reclassification process which would in turn justify a higher pay. Thanks again for the help, folks.

Shawn Doonan
 
One also has to consider the tuition compensation. When my kiddos attend I will get that free tuition, which is now about equal to my annual salary, and will be required to pay taxes. Thus, it will look like my income doubled!

Benefits are pretty good, although my deductibles are set so high to maximize take home, as would be similiar to most of us. I get to pay $300 for parking.

Asking around campus, speaking of the entire staff and faculty, as compared with other jobs I've had, a much higher percentage of employees are married or in partnership. Many have commented they could not be single, with or without kids and hold their jobs.

Rumor has it that the method of setting salaries is to review comparable positions at other institutions. I am disgusted at this metric because it does not take into consideration motivation, knowledge, or contribution. Even though my position is "Tree Trimmer", just like other one-man-bands, I cover all light equipment maintenance, safety training, planning, preservation, almost all tree trimming and PHC, presentations, etc. And I usually don't have much energy to spare to moonlight and make up some extra coin.

I do get paid less than the plumbers, electricians, and carpenters. My ISA cert apparenly doesn't translate to the other trades', and there is that degree of danger much more than our campus police.

I still love it. Is that incentive enough?
 
Here in Germany I make around almost 29,000 dollars before tax, for me grounding. We also pay about 32% tax here, though the tax brackets are a bit strange here for other people.

Scotty
 
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