Countdown to Convention!
There's only a month left to make your plans to join us in Chicago for the 2008 NECA Convention and Trade Show! More than 2,000 of your industry colleagues have already registered to attend, and we're looking forward to a record-breaking event. The Show floor is packed with great exhibitors, new products, and major excitement. But time (and hotel rooms) are going fast! Register today, and we'll see you there!
read more...A Partnership That Works in Action at NECA 2008 Chicago: A Special Labor Day Message for Convention-Goers
Members and employees of the National Electrical Contractors Assn. (NECA) joined the tens of millions of Americans taking a day off work to celebrate Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 1. But for the NECA family, Labor Day is about more than end-of-summer picnics. It's when NECA members can proudly celebrate their successful partnership with their employees who are represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
We'll continue to celebrate our labor-management partnership at NECA 2008 Chicago. Apprentices and electricians from Local 11 in Los Angeles and Local 134 in Chicago will showcase their skills in several demonstrations on the Show floor. The national apprenticeship program NECA and the IBEW jointly sponsor ensures that these workers are thoroughly trained in the skills and safety precautions necessary to get the job done safely and economically.
IBEW International President Ed Hill will open the special Labor Relations General Session to discuss how the IBEW views the industry and the programs that are in place to build market share. NECA Vice President of Labor Relations Geary Higgins will speak on the latest initiatives and programs within the industry, as well as the need for a two-pronged effort to build an effective relationship between the chapter and local union. The discussion that follows will feature members of NECA's national Labor Relations Task Force.
"We have to speak openly but respectfully if we want to continue a successful labor-management partnership with the IBEW," said NECA CEO John M. Grau. " Labor Day was founded to remember our country’s workers, and it’s also a day to acknowledge the commitment that signatory contractors like NECA members have shown to their employees and the union that represent them. I'm proud to be a part of an organization that investing in a socially-responsible approach to business. I believe it will carry us far into the future."
Winner of Free Airfare Prize Announced!
Jedd Lake, Operations Manager, Dixie Electric, Alpharetta, GA, is the winner of NECA's Free Airfare prize for NECA 2008 Chicago. Lake attended the NECA Show frequently as a kid with his father, a NECA contractor, but this year will mark one of the first times he’s attended since he started working professionally with an electrical contracting company himself.
"What a great surprise!" Lake said when he was notified that he had won the prize. "This just made getting to the NECA Show easier."
As a younger contractor, Lake is looking forward to meeting some of his colleagues who are also starting their careers in electrical construction.
"The NECA Show is really the best place to meet with the people who understand your business," he said. "Right now the industry’s moving in so many directions, I'm really interested in what other contractors are doing around the country."
Lake is also excited about getting a sneak peek at some of the new products that his company could be using next year. "There's real value in making those connections with manufacturers right now. It saves you time when you have to make purchasing decisions on future products because you've already had a chance to talk with the folks who make them. I'll be able to bring home a lot of good information from the NECA Show."
Spotlight on Exhibitors: Milwaukee Tools
Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation, Booth 513, introduces a new industry first at the 2008 NECA Show – the M12 HACKZALL™ Reciprocating Saw, a compact, lightweight saw designed for powerful, versatile cutting in tight spaces for virtually all tradesman as they tackle plumbing, electrical, remodeling and HVAC applications.
Featuring a 12V LITHIUM-ION battery, the HACKZALL™ cuts over 80 pieces of 1½” PVC on a single charge. The 2420-22 delivers a ½” stroke 3,000 times per minute for a smooth yet aggressive cut, and utilizes a keyless QUIK-LOK™ blade clamp to ensure quick and easy blade changes.
Learn more about this and other new products that Milwaukee Tools will showcase at NECA 2008 Chicago!
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