All For One or One for One?

  • Thread starter Levi
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Levi

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In my brief time as a tree worker in Colorado I have often thought about the wages for tree workers and ways to increase them, we all know it is a dangerous job and a hard one at that. Many solutions have been put forth, mainly the idea of improving public image and professionalism in order to demand higher compensation from the public. I've wondered many times if there should be some type of union or collective that could have more bargaining power. What do the tree housers say? As an owner operator I really have no stake in this at the moment, I set my own rates and get the compensation I need to get by and carry on. However I still come in to contact with and often think about the folks who toil away for peanuts on a daily basis. Is it every man for himself or should we have an eye to elevate our trade as a whole?
 
Haven't you realized yet the ISA is in fact a tree Union guild?

You need to read more Isaac Asimov sci-fi mate, the foundation trilogy in point of fact.

Trade guilds rule the future!

If yu can't put up?

Shut the ef up!

Asimov rocks!

Jomo
 
It aint gonna happen. In a million years. Be nice though (maybe) to be the beneficiaries of some good money and big benees.

I say maybe because so many union members seem to lead gross, entitled lives. Kind of fat,dumb, and happy. A massive generalization of course but it's what I've noticed.
 
I think the far superior answer is to build one's business strong so you can make good money and reward yourself and good employees commensurately.
 
WTF's your beef with a minimum wage in this industry you can pay the friggin bills on, Rex, yu friggin societal parasite?

Wanna stay warm at night Yu friggin cannibal?

Then pay me a friggin living wage azzhole!

Jomo
 
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  • #10
Haven't you realized yet the ISA is in fact a tree Union guild?

You need to read more Isaac Asimov sci-fi mate, the foundation trilogy in point of fact.

Trade guilds rule the future!

If yu can't put up?

Shut the ef up!

Asimov rocks!

Jomo

Ha! ISA what a bunch a busters....
My brother has been reading those foundation books recently.... sounds like the good stuff.
 
WTF's your beef with a minimum wage in this industry you can pay the friggin bills on, Rex, yu friggin societal parasite?

Wanna stay warm at night Yu friggin cannibal?

Then pay me a friggin living wage azzhole!

Jomo

Have another drink, Jo.
 
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  • #12
It aint gonna happen. In a million years. Be nice though (maybe) to be the beneficiaries of some good money and big benees.

I say maybe because so many union members seem to lead gross, entitled lives. Kind of fat,dumb, and happy. A massive generalization of course but it's what I've noticed.

Interesting, I do not know much about functioning unions, just a basic idea of what a labor union is. Around here we have little to no union action, I think there is a grocer's union and maybe an electrician's union. I completely understand the notion of a fat, entitled union worker. I've heard some say that unions destroy healthy competition.
 
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  • #13
I think the far superior answer is to build one's business strong so you can make good money and reward yourself and good employees commensurately.

That's what I've come around to many times. For some reason I often fell compelled to help people who could probably just help themselves!
 
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  • #14
WTF's your beef with a minimum wage in this industry you can pay the friggin bills on, Rex, yu friggin societal parasite?

Wanna stay warm at night Yu friggin cannibal?

Then pay me a friggin living wage azzhole!

Jomo

Something I also think about often. What constitutes a living wage? My own version of it for the area I live in is about 30 bucks an hour would get you a fairly comfortable life in Boulder County, CO. But you probably wouldn't be able to save much at that rate in this area.
 
That's what I've come around to many times. For some reason I often fell compelled to help people who could probably just help themselves!

Nothing wrong with a strong altruistic streak. And you'll be helping your good employees through your strong biz.
 
My favorite CO tried to tell me a decade ago.

Jon! Chill the frig out, or the office'll come to expect such ball bustin performances every friggin day n someone'll get hurt!

Jomo
 
Did you listen to him or did you just keep building the legend, day after day?
 
Bad time to try unionizing anything. Union Busting is the goal of most in party in power...right to work and all that.

Watched all the auto workers drop to less than 1/2 their wages and lose benefits during the bush era.

Hard to trust Union heads anyway...record miners strike back in the day they got sold out and lost all their bennies and built up retirement for a pittance of a raise that wouldn't come close to covering the bennies they lost.
 
The only way to do this is by educating the consumer/customer. If they can get a $800 removal done for $200, why wouldn't they? Building professionalism in the field, and getting to a point where the customers demand that level of care and professionalism is the only way to get there. . . I think things are moving that way. I really do.

Course I've only been watching for a little while. . . Don't know what it was like 20 or 30 years ago. . . Wild west I imagine.
 
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  • #23
Sam, Yeah, I think that's the whole tcia pitch. I advise customers to hire the cheapest removal bid who is licensed and insured, why not?
 
The only way to do this is by educating the consumer/customer. If they can get a $800 removal done for $200, why wouldn't they? Building professionalism in the field, and getting to a point where the customers demand that level of care and professionalism is the only way to get there. . . I think things are moving that way. I really do.

Course I've only been watching for a little while. . . Don't know what it was like 20 or 30 years ago. . . Wild west I imagine.


:thumbup:
 
Is it every man for himself

11tsxh3.jpg


Yep!
 
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