Did you know that NECA connects its members with the products and services that support their businesses by securing discounts with a variety of popular companies? Check out member-exclusive Value Added Service (VAS) discounts with leading manufacturers and service providers by clicking here. NECA Members could save on PPE & apparel, office products, shipping rates, equipment purchase, car rentals, fleet maintenance and fuel, credit card processing, business development tools, as well as industry publications.

NorCal NECA members are also able to save on products purchased through Apple. For more information regarding this benefit, contact Janet Siemens with the Chapter office.

Beci Anderson (Beci Electric, Inc.), Greg Long (Long Electric Company) and Greg Armstrong recently attended the ELECTRI International Council meeting held in Denver. ELECTRI is the research arm of NECA working to fund research projects that bring meaningful and practical information to our contractors. The Summer meeting allows ELECTRI contributors to interact with researchers to get updates on projects-in-progress and those about to be published.

The Council heard updates from researchers on the status of five research projects that were previously published:

• The Electrical Contractor as an Integrator, Part II – Walead Aiyeh, Maxim Consulting Group
• The Shift Toward Competency-Based Education in the EC Industry – Steven Schmidt, East Carolina
• Data-Driven Strategies to Increase Market Share – Hisham Said, Santa Clara University
• Personality & Aptitude Assessment of Top-Performing EC Project Managers – Brian Lines, University of Kansas and Jake Smithwick, UNC-Charlotte
• Improving Collaboration Efficiency Between Trade and General Contractor Through a Common Data Exchange (CDX) – Nathan Wood, CP Coalition

Dozens of research reports can be viewed on the ELECTRI International website. Click the “research” tab near the top of the page and then “ELECTRI Research Reports” to view reports relevant to your business!

Sims Metal Management (SMM) buys and processes scrap metal from business, other recyclers and the general public. With over 250 processing facilities in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, they recycle ferrous and non-ferrous metals. SMM is the world’s largest recycling company operating on five continents.

SMM six different locations here in the Bay Area and Central Valley that can offer a BONUS on material. All members have to do is give Bill Ledwell a call at (408) 494-4261 prior to delivery and he will insure you are well compensated. For more information, please visit their website at www.simsmm.com.

 

We are halfway through 2019. It has been a period of tariff talks, crippling floods and an elusive infrastructure bill. Have these events thrown the 2019 construction forecast off its axis? The short answer is no.

Dodge Data & Analytics presented a spring update of its 2019 Dodge Construction Outlook on June 12th in Chicago. Dodge’s chief economist and vice president, Robert Murray, shared the latest 2018 performance data and 2019 construction activity to date to paint a picture of an upward construction cycle leveling off. Read more of the report by clicking here.

The Northern California Chapter was well represented at NECA’s annual District IX Meeting held from June 25th – 27th, in Monterey, CA. Prior to the formal meetings, Executive Directors and Assistant Managers from each Chapter throughout District IX met to discuss the work picture in each area, as well as business development activities and other common issues.

On Wednesday, attendees chose between a few breakout session: 1) Workshop on Prefabrication; 2) Ownership Transition Management Succession; and 3) The Evolution of the Electrical Contractor as an Integrator.

We encourage our contractors to take the opportunity to attend future meetings. The next meeting is being planned for 2020, and we will provide details as they become available.

All contractors who bid and perform on public works projects in California need to complete or renew registrations with the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) by June 30, 2019. Renewals opened at the beginning of May, and contractors can now opt to renew for up to three fiscal years. For more information, visit the DIR’s Contractor Registration page by clicking here.

The NorCal NECA/IBEW Local 595 Joint Safety Committee is pleased to announce the 2019 Safety Excellence Award Program established to recognize excellence in safety demonstrated by NorCal NECA member contractors and IBEW Local 595 electricians/technicians.

Please refer to the Safety Excellence Award page of the NorCal NECA website for more information and to submit your entries. Submissions must be received by September 27, 2019. Please contact Juanita Mitchell at the Chapter office if you have any questions.

Negotiations for the Local 595W Inside Construction Agreement concluded with the Local 595W membership ratifying Management’s Final Proposal on May 30, 2019. The four-year agreement will commence on June 1, 2019, with a $4.12 increase which was allocated as follows:

• $3.05 to the Wage
• $1.00 to the DB Pension
• $0.04 to the JATC
• $0.03 to the Alameda ECT

Please go to the Labor Agreement page on our website to obtain the updated Cost Data Sheet. A copy of the updated Agreement will be provided in the coming weeks. Please contact Scot VanBuskirk with the Chapter office should you have any questions.

The NECA Show is the #1 Trade Show of its kind in the electrical construction industry. NECA is proud to present the largest gathering of manufacturers and distributors showcasing thousands of solutions contractors need to save time and money on the job, and grow their business. The trade show floor is a virtual classroom, providing the latest technological advances in such areas as power supply, security, tools, integrated building systems, lighting and controls, solar/PV, energy storage, other energy markets and so much more.

Te register for the Convention, follows the below instructions:

• Log into the NECA Registration & Hotel Booking Website with your individual ID and Last Name.
  • NOTE; please contact the Chapter office if you do not know your individual ID.
• Once logged in, you as a Chapter member, will automatically be placed into your chapter room block. If you are a member of multiple Chapters, you will be able to select the Chapter with which to proceed.

If you would like assistance with registration and travel, please contact Julie Russell with the Chapter office.

NECA continues to make headway on Capitol Hill as another one of NECA’s top legislative priorities, allowing 529 savings plans to be used in apprenticeship programs, passed through the House of Representatives on May 23, 2019. The provisions were included as part of a larger legislative package making the most significant changes in retirement savings policy in more than a decade.

The bill passed the house on two prior occasions last Congress only to have the Senate fail to act on the legislation. This new version is expected to be considered by the Senate in the next several weeks.