What do workers want?

[jdtesluk]

I posed this question already in KKRF (Facebook), and am interested what Replant denizens may have to say. Next week, tree planting contractors from around BC will meet in Kamloops to discuss issues around the number of trees to be planted, availability of work, and changes in wage regulations.....This year, I have been speaking to both employers and workers about what it takes to attract, train, and keep good planters. I will be speaking to the contractors at the meeting and sharing what I gathered in the field....I pose this question to you (planters): What will it take to keep you (happily) planting? Yes, rising tree prices is central to this discussion. But what else matters to you, and what else would you like to get from your job that you currently do not get?

I already had extensive input and discussion around eliminating camp-costs. It's a tricky subject, and I acknowledge it but don't want to relive the whole conversation again. I am interested in what else do workers want, and what do workers look for when they come planting?

I'm interested in specific things like gummi-worms in the glove compartments, but also more nuanced things like the experience of adventure, or opportunities beyond planting.

[Sunwatersoil]

Great question, it's one that is infrequently asked of planters.

In my own opinion owners and supervisors are more apt to ask for planter's opinions/confirmation after a decision is made rather than regularly asking that very question you proposed. Being a planter sometimes feel like a small cog in a large engine. Being able to have a say in the decision making process gives planters a feeling that their opinion matters and creates personal investment. I'm not necessarily talking about planting operations but more so of camp function or structure.

Whether or not the opinion is the action taken matters less than having the opportunity to give one's opinion and have it respectfully heard. I realize listening to 50 different voices is difficult but I feel that more can be done.

[LiconC]

-I love having opportunities to chat with upper management as it gives me the chance to introduce myself as a potential candidate for management positions, makes me feel appreciated, and also allows me to deliver feedback. I think that upper management talking with planters is something that is mutually beneficial. They should budget ample time for this activity, especially since I find that communication is a big issue for planting company efficiency. Feel free to ask me more about communication and efficiency.

-I want to be able to get an amazing reference letter at the end of my time with a company, one that is able to succinctly describe the difficulties of planting and effectively projects my career forwards, wherever that may be.

-Better 'people skills' training for forepeople. I believe that being especially gifted with soft-skills is not necessary to run a crew where planters feel appreciated and respected. Rather, forepeople can achieve an amazing relationship with their crew with a bit of guidance, such that can be easily attained through coaching or reading.

-Incentives with respect to safety. Treeplanting is amazing, but compared to your life or not breaking your back, it is quite trivial. Having a safety policy is not enough. Instead, what needs to happen is creating a culture of safety--one where people understand the risks that they are taking, the specific things that could happen to them as a planter (such as a quad roll-over), as well as start to actually care about these risks. Incentives could include punishments for unsafe practice, or rewards for safe practice. I think it would be awesome if someone who was seriously injured from a planting safety accident would tour camps and tell their story so as to really drive the point home. but thats a lot to ask of someone.

-A direct connection between the company and the planter that does not include the foreperson. A lot happens behind the scenes in tree planting, some of which may be issues with your foreperson such as genuinely unfair treatment, abuse, sketchy handling of a contract etc. In the planting world, I think it is often the case that there is a taboo with respect to speaking ill of your foreperson, behind which exists the fear of giving a person with such a direct impact on the amount of money you make reason to do you wrong, among many other reasons. Unfortunately, buying into this taboo not only provides little remedy to the situation, but also allows for your foreperson to possibly become a tyrant. Checks and balances are an important accompaniment to power, even if only with a small group of people. Planters should know that they have power as individuals and have a pathway for conversations with higher-ups if necessary.

Thanks Jdtesluk. Nice meeting you this summer.

[CreamDolphin]

I'll start this off by mentioning that I am from and plant in Ontario, as well as a small amount of time in Alberta. My comments are largely about Ontario.

-I think quality is an isue as you all may know in Onterrible. Not everyone is careless (myself included) and I feel that the guys slutting in loose 3 footers all day long and getting away with it shouldn't be paid the same per tree. What I'm saying is I think there should be an incentive for high quality, such as a half cent per tree for over %95.

-I experienced a bit of this in Alberta, and think it should be carried along to everywhere not yet implimenting it. We've all had it where a block was site prepped years ago and now it's so green you can't even see the ground, yet it's the crappy low prep price, or some narsty raw ground that is everything but plantable. I think the prices should have a range for each category of land (ie scarified, raw, fill, etc.) that is flexible within it (ie scarified is 9-11c).

-Back to the narsty prep here. Planters have a quality standard that they must exceed to have the block pass and payment recieved etc. I don't understand how it is ok that the scarifiers can pull their trenches 20+ feet apart (I've seen it) and we will be expected to plant 10-12s in there at our same price. They get payed per hectare, so if they stretch out their trenches and finish a block with, say, only %85 of the passes that should have been, is that any different than slutting trees in and taking advantage of piece rate? Also on a funnier side I once had a scarifier do a small circle in my piece, with no trenches leading into it haha

-And of course raised prices.

Sorry for commenting if you only wanted west coast input, but thanks for asking the question.

[Scooter]

All input is good.

I don't understand how it is ok that the scarifiers can pull their trenches 20+ feet apart (I've seen it) and we will be expected to plant 10-12s in there at our same price.

I should point out that most site prep contracts also have non-performance penalties. So for example, a mound-maker has to do plots (yes, they actually get out of their machine and throw plots on themselves with the same plot cords that we use) to self-assess, and the foresters often have requirements written into the contract so if they don't meet certain standards, they get paid less for their site prep work.

So what I just wrote doesn't actually address your point (planter payment for their bad work) but I did want to mention that the foresters do try to ensure that the prep is done properly for us. I guess it's up to the planting company to negotiate appropriate compensation when the blocks are not done properly.

[jdtesluk]

Indeed all input is good, and the eastern perspective is welcome!

We can look at the challenges of recruitment and retention as a BC phenomenon....but really there is a national dimension to this as well, and the conditions of planting in Ontario still matter.

Many BC contractors believe that if Ontario is terrible that they can scoop up all the Ontario workers. I do not totally agree....if a job is terrible it may simply discourage more people from doing the job, regardless of where they may end up doing it.

[Scooter]

Better conditions in Ontario might actually help in BC. If things are so bad in Ontario that people quit and resolve never to plant again, rather than simply saying "this wasn't great, I'm going to try a different company in a different region," then that may be an issue.

[Sunwatersoil]

Hey jdtesluk,

If you're willing to share your take on the WFCA conference I'd be interested in hearing how your questions were received and your general impression of the conference overall.

[jdtesluk]

I did not so much ask questions, as provide a perspective on the industry with respect to the workforce and factors pushing and pulling them out.
I reviewed the numbers related to minimum wage increases, and spoke about what that means in terms of ensuring workers are provided with sufficient financial incentives (tree prices) to push beyond guaranteed wages.
We looked at earnings over the past 15 years, based on number of trees divided by total industry payroll, then adjusting for inflation.....a crude approach, but enough to paint an undeniable trend of stagnation in earnings.
Then we placed this in context with other changes in the broader economy, worker shortages in other industries, and considered relevant shifts in things like rent and tuition.

Then we discussed some of the things that workers identify in terms of wanting from their job, including a discussion of camp costs.

Finally we discussed some of the potential strategies for recruitment and retention.

My goal was not to provide advice or direction. I set the table for the discussion so that the contractors could have a forum around the ideas and data, and talk about strategies for getting the broader industry moving in the right direction.

There were no decisions or conclusions...but that was not the point. This will be not an overnight change.

There were about 30-40 people there, mostly contractors. They are totally receptive to hearing worker input, and fully understand the economic factors staring them down.

At risk of sounding naive, I believe that most of them would love to simply raise prices for their workers....but they must figure out how to do this while negotiating with licensees, and competing with each other.
In the end, there are economic factors that will force contractors' hands. However, if they collectively act in a manner that puts worker retention as a key priority (above or level with or at least competing with contract acquisition), change could come faster. These are smart people. They run successful businesses for a reason. Most of them are also former planters. They truly want this industry to thrive.

I intend to write a summary of what I presented, with a bit more detail for wider sharing. I'll post it here when done.

I expect this to be a key topic at the conference in February as well. Although much of the bidding occurs prior to that, so I will be working to share my perspective earlier.