The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) is a

trade association A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry. An industry trade association partic ...

in the United States that represents the electrical contracting industry. NECA supports the businesses that bring power, light, and communication technology to buildings and communities. Through advocacy, education, research, and standards development, NECA works to advance the electrical contracting industry.

History

After the invention of the electric light, a new industry sprang up to install electricity in homes and businesses. With little industry regulation or standardization, electrical projects were sometimes haphazard and regularly slow, since parts often had to be custom made for a project. In 1901, a group of electrical contractors met at the

Pan-American Exposition The Pan-American Exposition was a World's Fair held in Buffalo, New York, United States, from May 1 through November 2, 1901. The fair occupied of land on the western edge of what is now Delaware Park, extending from Delaware Avenue to Elmwood ...

in Buffalo, New York and organized the National Electrical Contractors Association of the United States. The organization’s first constitution stated their objectives: “The fostering of trade among electrical contractors…to reform abuses…to settle differences between its members…and to promote more enlarged and friendly discourse among its members.″

Organization

NECA's national office is in

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, with 119 local chapters located across the United States. On the national level, NECA supports the electrical contracting industry through advocacy, education, research, and standards development. At the local level, each NECA chapter is an independently chartered organization with autonomy to elect officers, determine priorities, set member dues and service charges, and help negotiate labor agreements with their local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union(s). NECA is led by a chief executive officer and an elected president, board of governors, district vice presidents, and committees.

NECA Members

NECA represents electrical contractors from firms of all sizes, performing a range of services. While most NECA contractors are small businesses, many large, multinational companies are also members of the association. A directory of these contractors can be found a
NECA Connection

NECA Programs and Services

NECA provides members with advocacy, education, research, safety and standards development, as well as the annual

NECA Show As the #1 event for electrical professionals, the NECA annual convention and trade show, National Electrical Contractors Association draws attendees and exhibitors involved in all aspects of the electrical construction and integrated building syst ...

Advocacy

Labor Relations: At both the national and local levels, NECA works closely with

IBEW The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) is a labor union that represents approximately 775,000 workers and retirees in the electrical industry in the United States, Canada, Guam, Panama, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Isl ...

to develop mutually acceptable national and local agreements. Government Affairs: NECA’s Government Affairs office focuses on legislation and regulations that would affect electrical contractors and the construction industry as a whole. Through legislative monitoring, grassroots and constituent action, lobbying, and the $1 million-plus Electrical Construction Political Action Committee (ECPAC), NECA informs key policymakers of the views of electrical contractors.

Research

NECA is the founding sponsor of ELECTRI International—The Foundation for Electrical Construction, Inc. ELECTRI sponsors research by industry leaders, focused on the business and project management practices that impact electrical contractors. Topics for research include improving productivity, using project labor agreements, and bench marking safety programs.

Industry Information

NECA produces numerous information resources addressing business and project management, labor relations, codes and standards, safety, marketing, government affairs and regulation, and technical issues. NECA Education provides management education and supervisory training programs for industry leaders; NECA publishes ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine, the industry’s top source of information on electrical construction; and NECA sponsors the electrical contracting industry’s premier convention and trade show.

References

External links

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Directory of NECA Electrical ContractorsELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazineELECTRI International: The Foundation for Electrical Construction, Inc.NECA Convention & TradeshowNECA on Facebook
{{authority control Trade associations based in the United States Electric power in the United States Electrical trades organizations Electrical wiring Organizations established in 1901