Mission
Mission
To create a community of electrical and communications contractors that band together for support and advancement of the electrical/communications Industry in Labour, Government and Public Relations.
Vision
Vision
To differentiate ECAO contractors and their IBEW partners across Ontario as being industry leaders in delivering safe, stable, predictable, high-quality electrical communications construction and maintenance services.
Values
Values
Focus on member needs.
Integrity and Respect.
Alliances and Partnerships.
Positive Change Agent.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity
and Belonging.
ECAO
The Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario (ECAO) has been committed to addressing the needs of the industry by providing a variety of services directly to the membership, and by making representations on behalf of the entire industry to government and industry colleagues. Its success has been due to the support and active participation of the industry.
What we do
Government Relations
ECAO advocates the interests of electrical contractors to government through the following groups:
- Council of Ontario Construction Associations
- Provincial Advisory Committee for the Construction and Maintenance Electrician
- Electrical Contractor Registration Agency (ECRA) for Master Electrician and Electrical Contractor Licensing.
ECAO is a founding member of the Council of Ontario Construction Associations (COCA) formed to act as a lobby group on behalf of the entire construction industry to the provincial government. On issues such as workers’ compensation and occupational health and safety, ECAO actively works through COCA to represent the interests of electrical contractors.
Throughout its history, ECAO has been involved in the certification of electricians and licensing of contractors. Since the introduction of the Apprenticeship and Tradesmen Qualification Act in 1965, ECAO has represented management on the Provincial Advisory Committee, which advises the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU).
Through the Electrical Contractor Registration Agency, ECAO is a strong advocate of the licensing of electrical contractors on the basis of passing a master electrician examination. ECRA, now an agency of the Electrical Safety Authority, licenses master electricians and electrical contractors. It also creates the master electrician examination.
Labour Relations
The responsibility for all labour relations matters rests exclusively with the Electrical Trade Bargaining Agency (ETBA). The ETBA represents and acts as the legal representative of the ECAO in all matters relevant to labour negotiations in the Province of Ontario with those Construction Unions of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers that are chartered to represent Electricians, Linemen, Network Cabling Specialists or Communication Cable Installers (the “IBEW Construction Unions”). The ETBA is comprised of volunteer representatives from each area ECA, the ECA Line, and ECAO’s Communications (Green Pages) committee.
The IBEW CCO and ECAO Negotiating History
Provincial Bargaining Overview
The government introduced legislation in 1977 to provide for province-wide bargaining in the industrial, commercial, and institutional (“ICI”) sector of the construction industry. The legislation called for an employee bargaining agency to be established for groups of bargaining agents affiliated to the same trade union (in this case the IBEW CCO). And, for each employee bargaining agency, there needed to be established a matching employer bargaining agency (in this case the ECAO, which is also referred-to as the Employer Trade Bargaining Agent or ETBA).
As a result of the above-referenced bargaining history, and the recognition of the detrimental effects of the way the collective agreement was being negotiated, the ETBA and IBEW CCO committed to design a new system, which became known as the Joint Proposal. The Joint Proposal has been negotiated prior to collective bargaining since 1992.
History of Provincial Bargaining
History of ETBA/IBEW
Bargaining
Member Services
ECAO makes available a variety of products and services, including courses, publications and access to group purchase plans (to its members only).
For more information about these member services:
Industry Relations
In order to pursue the interests of electrical contractors with industry colleagues, ECAO is an official chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA).
