FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Outlined below are some of the most common questions we have been asked regarding the Electrical Contracting Industry in Ireland. If you have another question please submit it on our comments and questions page and the answer will be posted here. What is the ENJIC and what does it do ? Who are AECI and how many do they reperesent ? What is CWPS and do I have to join it ? Who are EPACE and what is their role ? What is the ETCI and what does it do ? Who are ECA and how many do it represent ? Who are ECSSA and what is their role ? Who are NECI and why are they needed ? What is NERA and what is their role ? What is NSAI and what do they do ? Who are RECI and what is their role ? Who are TEEU and who do they represent ? What is the Registered Employment Agreement (REA) Do I need to respond to and questions asked of me by EPACE EPACE have sent me an authorisation regarding CWPS Not a member of AECI/ECA does the agreement apply to me How is EPACE Funded ? Who are the Directors of EPACE What is the ENJIC and what does it do ? The ENJIC is the ELECTRICAL NATIONAL JOINT INDUSTRIAL COUNCIL. This body agrees the pay and conditions in the Industry and these are installed into the Registered Employment Agreement by "variation" and then signed off by the Labour Court. The result of this is that decisions agreed by ENJIC are then legally binding on all 5275 Electrical Contractors. The ENJIC are facilitated in their meetings by the Labour Court. Its current makeup is TEEU (Union) AECI (Employer) ECA (Employer). This in effect means that the only employers who have any input into pay and conditions are the 190 members of AECI and ECA. Also the only employees who get any input into the agreement are members of the TEEU. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top Who are AECI and how many do they reperesent ? The "Association of Electrical Contractors Ireland" are an Employers Representative Body. Membership currently now is estimated at less than 160. AECI was involved in negotiations for the current Registered Employment agreement. AECI was one of the parties that set up EPACE but they withdrew support for EPACE in late 2007. AECI were in support of the €1.05 rate increase in mid 2008 but have now changed their position. AECI stated in January 2009 that they are in full support of the current REA. They have also stated they would like to “completely renegotiate it” In Oct 2010 after a ballot of their members AECI withdrew its support for the current REA. They also requested that the Labour Court cancel the Agreement under Section 29 of the 1946 Industrial Relations Act. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top What is CWPS and do I have to join it ? The "Construction Workers Pension Scheme". This Pension scheme was set up by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) for workers in the Industry. The scheme is funded by employer (60%) and employee (40%) contributions. The Registered Employment Agreement requires that all workers over 20 years of age are enrolled in this scheme or an equal and equivalent scheme. EPACE (Pensions and conditions Electrical Limited) is 100% funded by moneys diverted without authorization from the CWPS employer and employee contributions. The Agreement requires membership of this scheme, or an equal and equivalent one, but it is unclear who decides if another scheme is in fact equal and equivalent. In 2009 NECI led the way and launched an alternative Pension and Sick Pay Scheme. This scheme gives employers a choice and no funds are diverted to any trade Union or any private company. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top Who are EPACE and what is their role ? Pensions & Conditions Electrical Ltd. Private Limited Company set up by the AECI , ECA, and the TEEU to enforce the employers side of the Registered Employment Agreement that they had agreed among themselves. Its directors include the Current General Secretary of the TEEU. They are funded by so called authorised employer and employee weekly contributions taken from moneys paid to The Construction Workers Pension Scheme. AECI withdrew its support for EPACE in 2007 because of its concerns regarding Union Inspectors with a vested interest working for EPACE. EPACE redirectes its annual profits as expenses to the TEEU and the ECA. Epace is now operating outside it own memorandum of associations as its current directors are all from TEEU and ECA. After passing an inspection, EPACE will provide any company which fully complies with all the terms of the Registered Employment Agreement a certificate of compliance which is actually worthless and of no benefit to the employer. At the 31st of December 2008 EPACE had €914.541 Cash in hand at bank. EPACE paid the TEEU €72250 in 2008 €58.000 in 2007 and €60.000 in 2006. (Source Companies Office Returns) Employers in EPACE are represented only by the ECA (40 members) thereby 5235 employers have no say or input into the activities of EPACE. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top What is the ETCI and what does it do ? ElectroTechnical Council of Ireland. It prepares the rules, guides and codes of practice for electrical installations in Ireland. The ETCI has two primary roles, Electro-Technical Standardisation and the Promotion of electrical safety. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top Who are ECA and how many do it represent ? Electrical Contracors Association, Irish Branch of the UK biggest Electrical Trade Association. Irish branch Membership currently approx 40.ECA are very closely linked th the Construction Industry Federation (CIF). ECA was involved in negoations for the current Registered Employment agreement. In the past ECA represented the larger employers but as sub-contracting has now become more and more the normal, direct employees represented has fallen dramatically. Many beleave that the ECA are controlled by the CIF (Construction Industry Fereration) and make decisions which benefit that organisation not electrical contractors. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top Who are ECSSA and what is their role ? Electrical Contractors Safety & Standards Association ECSSA is one of two Licenced Regulatory Bodys for Electrical Contractors in Ireland. It is important to note that the role of this organisation is to ensure that its members complete all electrical work to comply with the current ETCI standards. They are unable by law to act as a trade representative organisation. Membership Currently stands at approx 2800 _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top Who are NECI and why are they needed ? “National Electrical Contractors Ireland” is a new employers body in the early stages of being formed. Supporters are approx 700 and growing. NECI Aims to give a voice to the 3800 Electrical Contractors who have had no say in the past. NECI is a response to the belief that the existing trade associations have not represented all contractors well in the past. The National Electrical Contractors Ireland (NECI) have been formed to speak for the majority of Electrical Contractors in Ireland who have no voice when it comes to talks about Pay and Conditions. NECI has succeeded in stopping the 2008 5% pay increase when at the outset, all other employer bodies supported the increase. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top What is NERA and what is their role ? National Employment Rights Authority Goverment Body in the process of being set up to provide information to employers and employees reguarding employment rights. It monitors conditions of employment through its inspection services and can enforce compliance and seek redress.NERA covers many aspects of employment rights including Wages, Annual Leave, Redundancy, Dismissal and Notice.Under section 45 of the Bill to legalise NERA the employment rights in the electrical contracting industry will be passed over to a third party. The Electrical Contracting Industry employers are the only employers in the state which will not deal directly with NERA but with a third party. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top What is NSAI and what do they do ? National Standards Authority of Ireland The National Standards Authority of Ireland is, Ireland's Standards and Certification body. NSAI facilitates the development of voluntary standard documents. Certification is the process by which a body, e.g. the NSAI, certifies that an activity or process conforms to standards laid down for the markets in which that process takes place or into which resultant products may be sold. NSAI are the body which runs the PSA (Private Security Authority) which restricts electrical contractors from installing security alarms if they have not registered as a PSA installer. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top Who are RECI and what is their role ? Register of Electrical Contractors Ireland One of two Licenced Regulatory Body for Electrical Contractors in Ireland. It is important to note that the role of this organisation is to ensure that its members complete all electrical work to comply with the current ETCI standards. They are unable by law to act as a trade representative organisation.Membership Currently stands at approx 2600 _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top Who are TEEU and who do they represent ? Technical Engineering & Electrical Union Trade union representing Some of the Electricians working in the Contracting Industry. Party to the negoations of the REA. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top What is the Registered Employment Agreement (REA) The "Registered Employment Agreement" is an agreement between AECI, ECA and TEEU outlining pay and conditions in the Electrical Contracting Industry. This agreement was registered into Law by the labour Court in 1990 under the 1946 Industrial Relations Act. By law this agreement applies to all company’s operating in the sector even though they have no input into its contents or in fact may not even be aware of its existence. NECI believe this agreement is illegally registered and have been supporting court actions demanding its removal. A copy of the REA can be downloaded from the download page on this Website _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top Do I need to respond to and questions asked of me by EPACE EPACE are Pensions and Conditions Electrical Limited which is a private Limited Company. They have no legal standing and you can treat them the same as any other private limited company which contacts you. You are under no legal obligation to even comunicate with them. ______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top EPACE have sent me an authorisation regarding CWPS If you sign the authorisation all of your personal information held by CWPS will be shared with EPACE. If you do not sign the authorisation your information will remain private. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top Not a member of AECI/ECA does the agreement apply to me Under the 1946 Industrial Relations act the agreement applies to all operating in the sector whether they were parties to the agreement or not. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top How is EPACE Funded ? Epace is funded by weekly employer and employee payments to CWPS which are processed by CWPS and sent to EPACE. NECI has highlighted that these Deductions are “not mandatory” and many contractors have now stopped paying them. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top Who are the Directors of EPACE The Directors of EPACE as listed in their 2009 CRO returns are.......................... (1) Joseph Conway..Jer Ryan Electrical(Business Development Manager)DOB 06/04/1956 31 Ashlawn, Clerihan, Clonmel Co Tipperary.......... (2) Eamonn Devoy..(TEEU Trade Union Official)Kildare.......... (3) Arthur Hall..(TEEU Trade Union Official)Dublin.......... (4) Chairle Prizeman..(TEEU Trade Union Official)DOB 12/01/1946 29 Claremont Crescent, Glasnevin, Dublin 9.......... (5) Jean Winters..(Industrial Relations Officer)DOB 15/11/1965 163 Lackanash, Trim, Co. Meath.......... (6) Terry Tierney (Patrick Lynch Limited Dublin........................ Section 34 of EPACES 2007 Memorandum was changed to allow for AECI withdrawing from EPACE. Section 34 States The Board shall consist of six members being two members of the TEEU representing the Union side and four members from the AECI and/or the ECA representing the Employers side of the NJIC........... This does not explain how and why the EPACE board of directors now has three TEEU Members. _______________________________________________________________________________ Back to Top   © NECI 2011 The contents of this website are provided as an information guide only. While every effort is made in preparing material for publication no responsibility is accepted by or on behalf of NECI for any errors, omissions or misleading statements in this website or on any site to which this website connects. 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