Presidential view Unity is strength
With a busy conference schedule and a landmark industry agreement, it’s been a hectic – and productive – time for ECA president PAUL MCNAUGHTON
O
ne of the pleasures of the ECA presidency is the opportunity to meet and work not only with our excellent colleagues from within the association, but also with senior figures from
other industry organisations and associated bodies. At a time when the industry is facing a wide variety of challenges and experiencing rapid change, it’s important for those bodies representing the electrical contracting sector to take responsibility for ensuring the industry speaks to government – and the wider market – in a coherent, unified way. As such, it’s been my privilege to be involved in the signing of an historic partnership agreement between the ECA and the Electrical Safety Council (ESC), which has seen the creation of the Electrical Safety Register, and which marks a new era of unity for the electrical industry. There’s much more detail about the agreement elsewhere in this magazine, but inking the documents with Charles Tanswell, chair of the ESC, was certainly a momentous occasion. This partnership marks a new beginning for
the electrical contracting industry. I believe there is strength in unity, and this alliance unites the key electrical industry players: the sector trade association, the electrical consumer charity and the leading certification body, while providing clarity to the consumer and a consolidated voice to government on common issues. This long-term commitment is undoubtedly a
positive move for the industry and one we’re all sure will bring lasting benefits to the sector as a whole.
Meeting members Even apart from signing landmark agreements, over the last couple of months, my schedule as ECA president has gathered momentum, with the start of the conference season and key business meetings taking me across the country. This is giving me a fantastic opportunity to meet with numerous ECA members from all around the country, to discuss opinions about our industry and hear about the good work the association is doing, and to talk about the future and the challenges we all face. At the time of writing, I’ve attended the Central South region weekend conference, and business day events in the West Midlands region, East Midlands region, West region, East region and South West region, plus the South East regional dinner event.
I also visited Scotland for a few days last month. I
It’s been my privilege to be involved in the signing of an historic partnership agreement between the ECA and the Electrical Safety Council
was invited to the Electrical Distributors Association’s (EDA) Scottish Function at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Perthshire. It’s an annual event organised by the EDA’s Scottish Forum to discuss what’s going on in different sectors of the industry, and is an extremely interesting and informative event for an electrical contractor, with the full width of the total supply chain in attendance. Its broad range of perspectives provide genuinely useful insights, demonstrating how everyone is trying to work more closely together towards the same goal in a joined-up way. The EDA have now asked me to address their gala dinner in London next year. Following this event, I was a guest of our
colleagues north of the border from the Scottish electro-technical trade association, SELECT, at its annual gala dinner and awards ceremony in Glasgow – another very enjoyable experience. My role also took me to the magnificent
location of the Drapers Hall in the City of London for the Fire and Security Association’s annual lunch. This fast-growing specialist division of the ECA is another clear success story for the association.
About the author
Paul McNaughton is president of the ECA and managing director of electrical contractors Darke and Taylor. He has 38 years’ experience working in the electrical industry, and is an active member of the ECA’s Education and Training and Employee Relations committees. He also sits on the national board of the JIB, and is the chair of the London, South East and Southern RJIB.
Business It’s not all about lunches and conferences, though. One of the important recent developments has been the agreement between the ECA and Unite the Union for the implementation of the new Joint Industry Board (JIB) national rates of pay for 2013-14. This includes a new pay structure for apprentices – which is a positive move that I fully support, as we try to encourage more young people into our industry. Also looking ahead to next year, the ECA is set
to host the event the electrical industry has been waiting for. Enormous effort has been put in by the ECA conference working party to ensure that the association’s new combined conference and exhibition – The Electric Event – will be one of the highlights of the electrical industry calendar when it takes place in Birmingham from 20-22 June next year. You can read the latest about it elsewhere in this issue. As the electrical industry moves closer together,
the ECA is continuing to take the lead in its key role as the sector trade association that delivers for its members. Long may that continue.
November 2012 ECA Today 21
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