Building Industry Magazine - April 2013 - (Page 44)

SUBCONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF HAWAII: CREATING A MORE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD BY LEE SCHALLER Take nine industry trade associations, retain their individual structure and focus. Put them all together under one umbrella association, united in one primary objective, and what do you have? The Subcontractors Association of Hawaii, with nine times the commitment—and the clout. Strength in Numbers “The primary focus of the Subcontractors Association of Hawaii (SAH) continues to be legislative representation and the protection of subcontractors,” says Tim Lyons, executive director of SAH. “While subs outnumber general contractors by at least five to one, they are in a subservient position, since so many of them depend upon the general contractors for work opportunities. They are not in an equal bargaining position and it helps to have SAH stand up for them without the fear of economic repercussions. Procurement, unlicensed contractors, licensing laws, employer-employee laws and just about any proposal that makes it harder for subcontractors to be profitable and gain employment, are our main concerns. “How does this work, with nine different trades represented, each with its own agenda and its own members’ welfare to consider? “The executive directors or administrators met monthly,” explains Lyons, “and every two weeks during the January through May legislative session. One meaningful change over the years is that where our meetings used to be primarily informational, now many meetings, especially during the legislative session, are more consensus building in order to forge a more united front. “One of the important things we do,” says Lyons, “is stage an annual three-day conference to which our members bring their boards of directors for legislative updates and operational seminars. Scheduled for September 12 to 15 this year, it is open to any ECAH subcontractor, but primarily, board members attend. The idea is to update the members of each board so that they are able to go back and educate their membership. We have had sessions on the economy, prompt payment laws, labor laws, HIOSH/OSHA, antitrust issues, wage and hour concerns and on and on. It is quite an event to have the leaders of nine different construction industry subcontractor organizations together and the joint board of directors meeting also gives us the opportunity to get trade-by-trade reports.” SAH also has sponsored periodic seminars for management on such issues as lien rights, bonding, labor laws and other timely topics. SAH also organizes an annual golf tournament, which serves as a fundraiser for the Political Action Committee. “Each of the associations plays a vital role, “Lyons stresses, “such as sponsoring certain tournament events.” “We were particularly pleased when the Tile Contractors Association of Hawaii (TCAH) joined us a few years ago to bring us to eight subcontractor associations and then two years ago when the Electrical Contractors Association of Hawaii (ECAH) not only joined but became an active participant. “One of the more gratifying parts of this job,” Lyons tells us, “has been the great support we gave received not only from individual subs but also from their associations. Whether it is support at the legislature or at one of our events such as the golf tournament or annual conference, it has increased over the years and certainly fuels our goals and purposes.” 44 | BUILDING INDUSTRY | APRIL 2013 The Electrical Contractors Association of Hawaii (ECAH) represents approximately 100 electrical contracting firms doing business on every island and in every industry segment. Collectively, the firms employ nearly 3,000 highly skilled, highly paid electricians who are members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). ECAH’s stated mission is, “In partnership with the IBEW and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) to strengthen and promote unionized electrical contracting and to ensure that the public and the construction industry recognize the superior quality, value and safety that unionized electrical contractors and their employees deliver.” Al Itamoto, ECAH’s executive director, says, “One of the major benefits is that as a chapter of the NECA, we are able to benefit from the education, training and other cutting-edge input offered by the national association. For example, NECA has the largest trade show in the country, with more than Al Itamoto 300 venders taking part. Our members really enjoy and get a lot out of attending this event. Also, NECA has a government affairs counsel that lobbies at the congressional level, which is very important to the industry. I do the same thing at the local level and all of this information is passed on to our members, keeping them updated on issues that may impact them. Contractors do not always have the time to keep up with all the

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Building Industry Magazine - April 2013

FINANCE, BONDING AND INSURANCE
ECONOMIC ENGINES
BUILD WITH ‘GREEN’ WOOD
SUBCONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF HAWAII
Greenpath installs ground-mount PV system
Ness Turf opens in Kapolei
Bonterra Solar powers storage company
Coastal Construction completes St. Francis center
And the “Sweepsteaks” winner is …
Editor’s Corner
Datebook
Concept To Completion: Holomua
Contracts Awarded
Low Bids
Spotlight On Success: The Towers at Kuhio Park
Best Practices
New Products

Building Industry Magazine - April 2013