ESCA Services, the labour agency jointly owned by the ECA and the AEEU, is to be sold to 20:20 Recruitment and expanded to cater for the entire construction sector.
As EMC went to press the ECA and Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU) were finalising details for the sale of ESCA Services to 20-20 Recruitment for an undisclosed sum.

The labour agency, which is jointly owned by the Association and the AEEU, will continue to trade under the same name and from all of its existing offices. There will be no shedding of staff after the sale.

A statement from the company reveals that the new owner of ESCA Services, 20-20 Recruitment, is affiliated to Guildsrealm, a recruitment company with 16 years experience of placing engineering staff within the construction market.

The statement goes on to say that the directors of 20-20 Recruitment will ensure that ESCA Services remains a premier recruitment agency within the building services industry and that the close working relationship that is currently enjoyed with its present shareholders and clients will remain and prosper.

20-20 Recruitment is planning to further develop the the mechanical and electrical labour supply business through training and investment in the company infrastructure. And, in addition to the core m&e market, 20-20 Recruitment is planning to develop allied markets such as construction, engineering and management/supervisory grades.

While exact details of the sale remain undisclosed, AEEU general secretary Sir Ken Jackson said: "They made us an offer we couldn't refuse. Every business has its price." Jackson denied allegations that ownership of a labour agency had represented a conflict of interest for the union, given the JIB rules on agency labour: "The JIB is having to come to terms with its future. We may not have wanted agencies but they are now a fact of life."

The deal is subject to due diligence.

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor