Justin
Old Mossy Horns
And another opens. Well most of you know I went to Minnesota. I'm still here. I love it up here. I worked in urban/forestry/arboriculture for one of the largest tree care companies in the world. I got hired on to do liquid services through the growing season for pests and diseases and then switch to tree crew in winter. That's what I was told. Shortly after being hired we had a change in management for the better of the whole.
Fast forward to Friday and I remind the manager about time off I had arranged for my family to visit. He then told me I would be laid off until spring as of that afternoon.
We started $250,000 in the hole due to a terrible error last year by a guy. My liquid services work got caught up. After I was hired in the spring, they hired two more guys for tree crew.
He asked me to come back next year. Told me I was 110% on for next year. Asked me if I'd help train in a seasonal guy for the lawn care part. Not enough tree work to move me over, yet he's working two guys hired after me. He said he never knew what I was told when I was hired nor the promises made. I had been doing shop maintenance the last few weeks. Told me he couldn't afford to keep me on through the winter but would call me if they had more work come in before spring liquid services started.
Fine. Business, I get it. I made enough $$$ to get me through but not what I wanted to do.
I did take it personal because I was always the first there, some times last to leave barring a late tree crew coming back. Cleaned and maintained around the shop without being asked. Took care of my equipment and repaired as needed. With the exception of one other guy, the rest are slobs. They don't clean up. They don't keep things neat. They laze around when at the shop unless bossnis there and kiss . One guy lost his CDLs and regular license due to a DUI. Two others don't have their CDLs. One guy, has gotten a promotion. This guy kisses and talks it up in front of the boss and then just points fingers when something goes wrong. He's messed up a house, fence and lawn due to dropping leaders that should have been rigged down. Yet he smooches butt. I left for the season on good terms, just disappointed that I busted my tail all year and simple seniority kept on two guys that WANTED to be laid off. One may get it, haven't talked to him. These guys don't even want to work for this company, and I'd liked to have made a career in it.
Just kind of frustrated that I got the seasonal lay off that I was hired and told would not happen, and two other guys hired after me may get to stay. Manager says more guys are being laid off but I haven't talked to them yet. Business yes, but just frustrated I didn't get switched like original management had told me when hired. Especially if one guys that gets promoted is a felon, plus has had DUIs and jail time. Another guy currently has a DUI, and another has had 6 duis, two ask to be laid off, two hired after me. Good guys but work ethic is slack at best. Only two of us go hard at it 100%, 100% of the time.
NOW....the door opening. Another internationally known tree care company has an office just up the road from us 150yds. They dump chips at the first companies chip yard. They've been trying to get me to come up there and talk to their manager. Well Friday I stopped in just to see, after leaving work. Manager wasn't there. He was out of town getting ready for the deer opener, and didn't get back until today. Got a call telling me to call him. I had spoke to their assistant manager Friday and filled an application out. Called him and he liked what he heard from the assistant as well as the guys I see when they dump their chips. He emailed me an offer with more money as well as work through the winter. Told me I could start a week from today. Benefits are pretty much the same. They're letting me climb as soon as I'm ready to go up. That's what I wanted to do where I was but I got pigeon holed in the liquid services because I had an education. I'll do both at the new company. Getting to do what I love and they offered more money. Can't beat that.
While im still technically employeed with company A, company B is working me full time all year, all the OT I want when liquid services begin in spring, and climbing (pruning/trimming/removals) when i want and more money, bye bye company A.
Fast forward to Friday and I remind the manager about time off I had arranged for my family to visit. He then told me I would be laid off until spring as of that afternoon.
We started $250,000 in the hole due to a terrible error last year by a guy. My liquid services work got caught up. After I was hired in the spring, they hired two more guys for tree crew.
He asked me to come back next year. Told me I was 110% on for next year. Asked me if I'd help train in a seasonal guy for the lawn care part. Not enough tree work to move me over, yet he's working two guys hired after me. He said he never knew what I was told when I was hired nor the promises made. I had been doing shop maintenance the last few weeks. Told me he couldn't afford to keep me on through the winter but would call me if they had more work come in before spring liquid services started.
Fine. Business, I get it. I made enough $$$ to get me through but not what I wanted to do.
I did take it personal because I was always the first there, some times last to leave barring a late tree crew coming back. Cleaned and maintained around the shop without being asked. Took care of my equipment and repaired as needed. With the exception of one other guy, the rest are slobs. They don't clean up. They don't keep things neat. They laze around when at the shop unless bossnis there and kiss . One guy lost his CDLs and regular license due to a DUI. Two others don't have their CDLs. One guy, has gotten a promotion. This guy kisses and talks it up in front of the boss and then just points fingers when something goes wrong. He's messed up a house, fence and lawn due to dropping leaders that should have been rigged down. Yet he smooches butt. I left for the season on good terms, just disappointed that I busted my tail all year and simple seniority kept on two guys that WANTED to be laid off. One may get it, haven't talked to him. These guys don't even want to work for this company, and I'd liked to have made a career in it.
Just kind of frustrated that I got the seasonal lay off that I was hired and told would not happen, and two other guys hired after me may get to stay. Manager says more guys are being laid off but I haven't talked to them yet. Business yes, but just frustrated I didn't get switched like original management had told me when hired. Especially if one guys that gets promoted is a felon, plus has had DUIs and jail time. Another guy currently has a DUI, and another has had 6 duis, two ask to be laid off, two hired after me. Good guys but work ethic is slack at best. Only two of us go hard at it 100%, 100% of the time.
NOW....the door opening. Another internationally known tree care company has an office just up the road from us 150yds. They dump chips at the first companies chip yard. They've been trying to get me to come up there and talk to their manager. Well Friday I stopped in just to see, after leaving work. Manager wasn't there. He was out of town getting ready for the deer opener, and didn't get back until today. Got a call telling me to call him. I had spoke to their assistant manager Friday and filled an application out. Called him and he liked what he heard from the assistant as well as the guys I see when they dump their chips. He emailed me an offer with more money as well as work through the winter. Told me I could start a week from today. Benefits are pretty much the same. They're letting me climb as soon as I'm ready to go up. That's what I wanted to do where I was but I got pigeon holed in the liquid services because I had an education. I'll do both at the new company. Getting to do what I love and they offered more money. Can't beat that.
While im still technically employeed with company A, company B is working me full time all year, all the OT I want when liquid services begin in spring, and climbing (pruning/trimming/removals) when i want and more money, bye bye company A.
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