Services specialists discuss merger

Electrical contractors and heating and ventilating employers have opened talks which could pave the way to a merger of their trade associations.

A joint statement issued by the by the Electrical Contractors Association and the Heating and Ventilating Contractors Association last week studiously avoids the word "merger". Instead, it says the ECA and HVCA intend "to discuss a further strengthening of the relationship between the two organisations."

To this end, the respective employer councils have agreed to the formation of a small working group of members to begin an exploratory debate. It is emphasised that associations are only testing the water to see if the time is right to build further on the success of their current relationship. The two associations have mounted highly effective lobby campaign for contractual reforms recommended in the Latham Report.

No early announcement on concrete future developments is anticipated. In the first instance there will be a report-back by the working group to the two councils.

Trade associations in general are under pressure from the Government to rationalise their structure and improve effectiveness.

The ECA and HVCA already share offices at ESCA House in Bayswater, London. ESCA itself stands for the Engineering Services Contractors Association, the intended name of a merged employer association which was planned more than 20 years ago but never came to fruition.

More recently the two trade associations have worked closely in founding the Specialist Engineering Contractors (SEC) group and the Constructors Liaison Group, the main umbrella body for all subcontractors.