Bill Wright is a JIB National Board Member and Chairman of the North East & Yorkshire JIB and fully supports the ethos and aims of the JIB.

The JIB is the collective term for the partnership between the ECA and Unite as distinct from the administrative organisation which was created to carry out their joint decisions.

The Electrical Contracting Industry comprises a great number of private enterprise firms, ranging from firms employing one man to firms employing more than a thousand. It employs a large number of skilled men-time served, qualified electricians comprise 90% of its labour force.

It is mainly engaged in the Construction Industry and undertakes a wide variety of work, ranging from a simple electrical installation within a private house to the electrical work associated with the construction of a power station. Other types of specialised installation work-instrumentation, microelectronics, security devices and detectors, computer peripheral equipment including remote terminals, robotics, data communication equipment and ship work.

During the 1950’s and early 1960’s, the Electrical Contracting Industry suffered poor relations between the Union and Employer’s Association to such an extent that strikes and lockouts became common place. It was during the early 1960’s that the two parties recognised that the situation needed to be brought under control if the Industry was to continue to exist.

The 1966-69 Industrial Agreement, as well as providing for annual wage increases, also facilitated for the setting up of the Joint Industry Board to replace the existing National and Area Joint Industrial Councils.

“The principal objects of the Joint Industry Board are to regulate the relations between employers ad employees engaged in the industry and to provide all kinds of benefits for persons concerned with the industry in such ways as the Joint Industry Board may think fit, for the purpose of stimulating and furthering the improvement and progress of the industry for the mutual advantage of the employers and employees engage therein, and, in particular, for the purpose aforesaid and in the public interest, to regulate and control employment and productive capacity within the Industry and the level of skill and proficiency, wages and welfare benefits of persons concerned in the Industry."

The aim of the Board is, therefore, far reaching in seeking to generally improve the Industry, its status and its productivity in the interests of the Employer, the Employees and the nation.

It goes far beyond a normal Industrial Agreement; the parties to the Board seek at all times to develop a common approach to all the problems which are encountered by an industry not only in their own interests but in the public interest as well.