Allan Littler, president ECA

With the world economy going from boom to near bust in the blink of an eye during 2008, it almost seems an understatement to say it was a roller coaster of a year. But the resilience of the electrical contractor never ceases to surprise me. Despite being faced with appalling market conditions and a wide range of other industry problems, somehow we survive to fight another day.

Apart from the impact of the recession, there are two pressing matters holding back our industry:

  • The need to establish a procurement regime that encourages the development of a sustainable skills base, involving apprentices, adult learning, and progressive staff development.
  • The need to return the employment practice back to a level playing field, which rewards employees as much as self-employed contractors.

Both of these factors must urgently be addressed to ensure the survival and health of our industry. Anyone out there with potential solutions to these problems should feel free to write to me with their suggestions. In the meantime, the ECA will continue to lobby government and other sources to fight the electrical contractors鈥� corner.

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor