About NECA Transmissions
NECA Transmissions is a collaborative effort from CEO John Grau and NECA staff to provide insight and feedback on key issues from the front lines of the electrical contracting industry.
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Category Archives: Labor Relations
Labor Negotiations Prime Time
This is labor negotiation prime time. A majority of NECA-IBEW labor agreements have a May 31 anniversary date, so many local areas are deep into the negotiation process. With the deadline for CIR submissions this Friday, the pressure to come to a settlement is even greater.
Posted in Agreements (local), Labor Relations.
Response from IBEW President Ed Hill
One reason I blog at NECA Transmissions is because I want to hear directly what people on our industry’s frontline are thinking. I don’t expect everyone to always agree with me, and I appreciate the people who take the time to write comments to my posts. While most NECA members agreed with my position on the Employee Free Choice Act, IBEW International President Ed Hill had another view.
What I Brought Back From Chicago
The just-completed NECA Convention in Chicago was my 31st. That doesn’t even come close to the record set by former NECA President Bob Colgan of Toledo, Ohio. This was his 57th! Bob was recognized at both the Convention Opening General Session and at a special Academy of Electrical Contracting Reception marking its 40th anniversary. Bob … Read more
Field Rep 2010
In my last two posts, I’ve written about the NECA Field Service – its history and the challenges it confronts today. But what about the future? Will the job description for a NECA field representative of 2008 meet the needs of NECA members and chapters in the years 2010 and beyond? What will be expected of field … Read more
21st Century Demands
Today, we find that the need for field staff services is exponentially greater than ever before. It can be a challenge for our four regional executive directors and 16 field representatives to juggle all the demands and meet all the needs around the country. So where do we go from here? Let’s start by looking … Read more
The NECA Field Service
The idea for NECA “field service” came in the late 1930’s when the Labor Relations Committee reasoned that NECA could negotiate better terms with the IBEW if it represented a significant portion of IBEW-labor employers. The committee adopted a set of seven objectives to guide the work of one field representative whose first objective was membership. The … Read more
Health Care is Front and Center, Not on the Fringe
[...] I think we all recognize that fringe benefits aren’t so “fringe” anymore. They’re a big part of our labor costs and a major factor in our struggle to complete with non-union costs. It doesn’t mean, however, that these benefit plans have to be an albatross hung around our necks. Properly structured and managed, our fringe benefit programs can be part of our competitive advantage.
Posted in Labor Relations, Productivity.
Risky Labor or Risky Management?
Market share is eroding for union electrical contractors in one their main bastions — large cities.Contrary to common perception, one of the principle reasons for that erosion is not the cost of labor, but how the labor is managed.
Posted in Labor Relations.
What’s On NECA’s Wish List
It’s that time of year when everyone is finishing their holiday shopping and looking to Christmas week ahead. I decided it would be fun to ask a few people what’s on their Christmas wish list this year. Geary Higgins said total manpower portability nationwide was at the top of his list. But he’s not satisfied with just … Read more
Posted in Labor Relations, Legislation.
Q&A on Code of Excellence
NECA member Jerry Hayes of United Electric in Atlanta sent a question in response to my recent post “Executive Committee Meeting Recap.” In that post, I said that the committee had taken action to make the Code of Excellence Category I language. Jerry responded with his perspective on what including the Code of Excellence in … Read more
Posted in Labor Relations, Productivity.
