Move likely to damage relationships with rival trade federation the ECA

The Heating & Ventilating Contractors Association is to rebrand to broaden its appeal, a move likely to damage its already fractious relationships with rival trade federations.

The HVCA will be renamed the 黑洞社区 & Engineering Services Association from March and will widen its remit to cover all mechanical and engineering contractors.

HVCA sources claimed the rebrand had been prompted by frustration with rival the Electrical Contractors Association (ECA) after four-year talks to merge the two organisations broke down last year.

The move is likely to go down badly with the ECA given that it represents thousands of electrical contractors that the HVCA is now positioning to sign up.

The HVCA and ECA, which share the same west London office building, have been at loggerheads for over four months in a bitter dispute over electrical workers鈥� wages and conditions.

This has seen the HVCA join forces with seven of the industry鈥檚 largest electrical contractors to draw up a wage deal for 6,000 electrical workers previously jointly run by the ECA. This has sparked widespread protests including a sit-in of a contractor鈥檚 headquarters, violent clashes with police and the threat of the biggest private sector strike ballot for 10 years.

A source close to the situation said the HVCA鈥檚 rebrand would 鈥渂e bound to increase tensions.鈥�

Last month, a coalition of trade bodies, including the ECA, the Scottish & Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers鈥� Federation, the Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors and Scottish body Select, criticised the HVCA鈥檚 actions, saying it was 鈥渄amaging鈥� the industry.

In a statement Blane Judd, chief executive of the HVCA, said the organisation was changing its name to respond to client demand for an 鈥渋ntegrated, one-stop-shop鈥� approach to building and engineering services.

A spokesperson for the HVCA stressed the organisation was 鈥渘ot looking to recruit single discipline electricians鈥� and that the ECA had been made aware of the re-branding in advance.

The ECA was unavailable for comment.

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