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Central Ohio Chapter |
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Benefits of NECA Membership
Why be a NECA Contractor? NECA offers you an opportunity to have a direct say in the electrical industry and its future through regular meetings held at the chapter, district and national levels. NECA is an extension of you. It’s that extra employee on your payroll who looks out for your interests. This could include follow-up on Davis-Bacon, contract compliance, inspection procedures, and/or OSHA regulations. It could also include representing you in your own community with trade groups, architects, engineers, government, the Business roundtable and other business leaders. All this can best be described as an addition to your sales force through visibility and public relations. NECA’s educational programs can help you and your employees enhance your professional credentials. NECA News and the newsfile on our members-only website are also important services. The NECA staff at the chapter level is a vital resource bringing you the programs and services that help you stay competitive and informed. Trust and Cooperation are essential ingredients in an effective, profitable working relationship between employer and employee. NECA’s national association, our chapter, and members have long practiced constructive and responsible labor relations in concert with the IBEW, the world’s oldest and largest union of electrical workers. NECA makes every effort to ensure that all parties concerned – all levels of the association, its members, their supervisory personnel and the national and local unions – provide the maximum possible productivity per man-hour of labor in order to compete profitably and promote consumer use of the services of skilled electrical craftsmen employed by qualified contractors. In order to implement this basic policy and seek to develop programs and procedures for the rational and peaceful settlement of disputes, the avoidance of strikes, work stoppages and jurisdictional disputes, NECA and the IBEW have developed the National Labor-Management Cooperation Committee (NLMCC). NECA chapters, cooperate with local IBEW business managers through the Local Labor-Management Cooperation Committee (LMCC) to develop local labor contracts that enhance labor-management rapport. Management Services Electrical contracting requires knowledge of engineering, estimating, electrical installation and business management. NECA offers a wide variety of education programs and materials to enable members to upgrade their skills. A curriculum of courses helps contractors plan their company’s future; improve accounting functions; budget and control costs; manage assets and profits; meet business insurance needs effectively; make the right choice in computer selection and application and more. NECA chapters also sponsor seminars on special phases of major subjects of interest. And there are several courses available to key employees. The association even offers a special program designed for the second-tier management personnel of member companies to prepare them for top management roles. In addition, flexible accounting systems developed especially for electrical contractors, all types of necessary business forms and other management aids are made available. Technical Services NECA provides a full range of informational and educational services to help its members ensure the superiority of their work while taking advantage of emerging technology. NECA’s technical services not only benefit the member electrical contractor but also help set standards for quality throughout the entire industry. In addition to making code reference material available to its members, the association also offers a Code Conference to help instruct contractors and their employees in meeting changing code requirements.
Almost every construction trade association has a marketing department to sell products to its members, but we know of no other with a marketing department whose sole function is to help members sell their services! Effective marketing is crucial to the successful operation of any electrical construction business. NECA keeps members abreast of the many changes in the marketplace and provides national promotion and member education. Projects involve research, sales training, institutional promotion and inter-industry relations. Another invaluable service is the NECA Connection. This computerized marketing service allows buyers seeking an electrical contractor to call a toll-free number or search on the NECA website to find a local NECA member who meets their specifications. The association also exhibits at national and local trade shows and maintains an inventory of highly attractive displays and ads for use by local chapters. Serving as the voice of electrical construction, NECA works continually to ensure that its members are kept informed of developments both within the organization and within the electrical contracting industry as a whole. Ongoing member contact is assured via the NECA News. This publication can be found on their website, www.necanet.org which is another up-to-the-minute source for information concerning the industry. NECA chapters receive advance notice of new products and services, as well as guidance on effecting the best possible chapter management, with the NECA Chapter Alert. The Alert is published as needed to impart information of particular concern to the chapters, the field service and NECA’s leadership. Articles in the Electrical Contractor magazine cover both the management and technical ends of the business. A major topic of current interest to electrical contractors is featured each month. NECA believes that it should take an active role in keeping its membership, the entire construction industry and the general public aware of the content and possible effects of legislation affecting the electrical contracting industry. NECA also ensures that the executive and legislative branches of the government are informed of the views of electrical contractors. NECA scrutinizes legislative affairs in such areas as bidding procedures, energy use and conservation, employment practices and taxation. NECA serves a watchdog role with respect to the rule-making activities of federal regulatory agencies, such as the Department of Labor, including OSHA, DOE and GSA. Lobbying is a high priority for NECA. They maintain a strong presence on Capitol Hill and often provide testimony on legislation and proposed rules that could affect the industry. The Central Ohio Chapter is supported by NECA in our efforts to secure local legislative regulations affecting contractors. With positions on all 20 code-making panels of the National Electric Code committee, NECA represents the interests of electrical contractors in the development of equipment standards, materials standards, safety regulations and installation standards. NECA also reviews licensing and inspection regulations and recommends changes when necessary, particularly through its monitoring of emerging technologies. National Electrical Installation Standards are the industry’s first quality standards for electrical construction. They define a minimum baseline of quality and workmanship for installing electrical products and systems. NECA publishes top-quality educational and reference materials to help you understand Code and regulatory requirements. Click here for additional Technical and Code Resources. NECA is committed to safety, for workers on the job and for projects after the work is complete. Teaching safe work practices is a key element in training, and NECA supports ongoing safety awareness campaigns for contractors and workers. NECA has also been involved in the National Electrical Code development to help set basic standards for electrical equipment, materials and safe installation methods. Along with training in the latest OSHA Safety and Health Standards for General Industry and Construction, NECA provides safety consultation for its members.
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