The JIB National Conference, due to take place in Harrogate on 16-17 April, has been postponed due to the lack of an agreed agenda for the future.
Industrial relations within electrical contracting, already at a low point, were dealt a further blow when the planned Joint Industry Board (JIB) conference, scheduled to take place in mid-April in Harrogate, was postponed at the last minute.

The JIB, the body responsible for industrial relations issues between ECA employers and Amicus' AEEU electrical union members, was hoping to use the 2002 conference to unveil its plans to reshape the JIB to meet the demands of the current social and economic climate. Instead, the conference has been postponed, until early next year, amid a lack of agreement as to how to move forward.

In a statement to delegates, JIB chairman Sir Michael Latham said: "The parties have debated long and hard over this matter and, even at this late stage, had hoped that the necessary progress could be made in time. However, we have reluctantly concluded that this is not possible.

"We had set ourselves a massive task and, whilst we have made significant progress, we do not believe it would be appropriate to present the 'JIB of the future' to conference at this stage whilst there is still work to be completed."

Employers are said to have been concerned at the lack of an agreed agenda for the conference in the weeks running up to the postponement.

For their part, the unions have long been calling for movement from employers on a deal for major sites. AEEU general secretary Ken Jackson attacked contractors for lack of progress on this issue at last year's ECA conference. While drafts of an electrical deal are in circulation, it is understood that major contractors would prefer an m&e agreement.

"There have been several drafts of a major sites agreement for the electrical industry," confirmed the JIB's chief executive Martin Pollard. "But there is no point us developing an agreement and the JMCG doing their own thing."

  • The conference will not now be the swansong of JIB chief executive Martin Pollard, who retires this year. No replacement has been announced.