Where have all the climbers gone?

[Amber Jones]

Wow, is it just me or is it hard to find climbers in Ontario. @$25-35/ hour and $up with Benefits too, you’d think someone could be found. I lived in New Zealand once (any kiwis on here want a job? Lol). I’d like to hear from other Ontario employers on here if they have any good advice for finding good help? I’ve posted job add on just about every conceivable location, so I’m a little mystified?

Alot of people here in the tree industry like to run off of other people's assumptions, we lose good employees with assumptions. personalitys don't click some times that doesn't mean anything about the worker. we all can say some one can't listen but can we as climbers put it in a way that a over worked groundman or woman can understand. without picking on what they think is intellectual or making it about the person's intelligence it just seems dirty to me and counter intuitive to progression or bettering ones self.

 

[Amber Jones]

have ran into some bad relaly comments being a woman in the tree field ranging from extremely supportive to what the he'll you doing here trying to learn new things while the world is stuck in the stone age is like brushing your teeth while eating

For me, where I live being an hourly employee is basically like treading water as far as money goes… Yes, you can do it for awhile, some people longer, but it’s not sustainable for long term (financial) survival.

Right I'd starve on some of these salarys it's like you need side work to stay a float but some bosses don't like side work it takes away from their main show but I gotta eat and I'd like a house some day...

 

[Vicente]

have ran into some bad relaly comments being a woman in the tree field ranging from extremely supportive to what the he'll you doing here trying to learn new things while the world is stuck in the stone age is like brushing your teeth while eating

Right I'd starve on some of these salarys it's like you need side work to stay a float but some bosses don't like side work it takes away from their main show but I gotta eat and I'd like a house some day...

I have never understood people hating on their employees doing side work as long as it's relatively small, if you were setting up and staffing a crew to do big jobs it would be understandable but if it's you and friend doing a prune on a Saturday it's extra money for the crew, if something big comes up with the client and the guys who work with me need more help the bigger stuff will come to me anyways and whoever referred the client will get a bonus.

 

[Chris Schultz]

Right I'd starve on some of these salarys it's like you need side work to stay a float but some bosses don't like side work it takes away from their main show but I gotta eat and I'd like a house some day...

It’s laughable when a company wants to have you sign a no compete policy, and don’t offer a respectable wage. It’s also laughable when they use it as a potential safety risk, but it’s ok for staff members to tend bar until 2:30 on a work night.

 

[Chris Schultz]

Right I'd starve on some of these salarys it's like you need side work to stay a float but some bosses don't like side work it takes away from their main show but I gotta eat and I'd like a house some day...

The only way I could get ahead financially was if I did my own jobs after hours or weekends, sometimes both……. I never stole work from the company that employed me, and never used their equipment either.

 

[VenasNursery]

The only way I could get ahead financially was if I did my own jobs after hours or weekends, sometimes both……. I never stole work from the company that employed me, and never used their equipment either.

I encourage all my employees to do weekends and hopefully they need my equipment because I rent them what they need
It’s bonus $ for me and them

 

[Chris Schultz]

I encourage all my employees to do weekends and hopefully they need my equipment because I rent them what they need
It’s bonus $ for me and them

I respect the shit out of that. That is smart. When I was still an employee, and I’d pull my own jobs, that experience was invaluable for me, and I feel also beneficial for the tree service that employed me. It really puts into check how to bid work, and puts emphasis on maximizing efficiency, and safety….. It’s all practice, the more practice you get, the better, stronger, and faster you become.