What is missing in the electrical industry

[Isetech]

I believe to fix the electrical industry, more of this kind of discussion would be advisable. This platform is a good start, which is why I keep encouraging people to ask questions, if you are concerned about your question being a "stupid" question, send it to Dave or one of the regulars and ask them to post the question.

There are some smart, knowledgeable people on this platform, I am sure someone will answer the question.

When you read some of my responses, it may seem like I dont give a crap, the reality, is I do and wish we could improve this industry. The day you no longer see any interaction or responses from me will be the day I have given up with this industry.

Keep the discussions going maybe one day someone with a little authority may see the sense of it all and take action and steer the industry in the right direction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oniZGp-rFQ&ab_channel=eFIXX

[Firepool]

I believe to fix the electrical industry, more of this kind of discussion would be advisable. This platform is a good start, which is why I keep encouraging people to ask questions, if you are concerned about your question being a "stupid" question, send it to Dave or one of the regulars and ask them to post the question.

There are some smart, knowledgeable people on this platform, I am sure someone will answer the question.

When you read some of my responses, it may seem like I dont give a crap, the reality, is I do and wish we could improve this industry. The day you no longer see any interaction or responses from me will be the day I have given up with this industry.

Keep the discussions going maybe one day someone with a little authority may see the sense of it all and take action and steer the industry in the right direction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oni..._channel=eFIXX

For me, the bargaining council adds zero value so that is a start .

[Isetech]

What about the ECB and ECA, do think they add value to the industry ?

Apparently the bargaining council were sitting with millions of employee contributions. I was contacted a couple of weeks ago with regards to an employee who had the money deducted and paid over to the bargaining council and they dont know what to do with all the money because they cant get hold of the employee, because he no longer has the same number or an email address.

What will happen to all that money if not collected by the employee, what if the employee has passed away and there is no traceable next of kin or will ?

It seems they have contracted a private company to trace employees, anyone have the stats ?

For me, the bargaining council adds zero value so that is a start .

[Firepool]

What about the ECB and ECA, do think they add value to the industry ?

Apparently the bargaining council were sitting with millions of employee contributions. I was contacted a couple of weeks ago with regards to an employee who had the money deducted and paid over to the bargaining council and they dont know what to do with all the money because they cant get hold of the employee, because he no longer has the same number or an email address.

What will happen to all that money if not collected by the employee, what if the employee has passed away and there is no traceable next of kin or will ?

It seems they have contracted a private company to trace employees, anyone have the stats ?

My point is when everybody in the industry dont exactly have the same cost base like workers compensation,VAT , and Bargaining council .You cant say the industry red tape makes it attractive as you don't really get any advantage from the red tape.Has anybody successfully dealt with the department of labour when there is an issue.The advantage is with the small guy coming in cheaper without any accountability as he not paying any of the industry red tape or employing admin staff to deal with the red tape.

[Isetech]

My point is when everybody in the industry dont exactly have the same cost base like workers compensation,VAT , and Bargaining council .You cant say the industry red tape makes it attractive as you don't really get any advantage from the red tape.Has anybody successfully dealt with the department of labour when there is an issue.The advantage is with the small guy coming in cheaper without any accountability as he not paying any of the industry red tape or employing admin staff to deal with the red tape.

I have worn both shoes, the large contractor with all the overheads doing multi million rand contracts and as the small contractor with minimal overheads. If you are large company with all the red tape in place you shouldn't be scavenging the small guy jobs.

I had the same problem with one of my larger contracts, I would tackle all the smaller projects and was happy to do all the little crappy jobs nobody else wanted when there were big projects, but as the contract draw to an end or the budget was depleted, then suddenly all the big contractors would try take my little bread and butter jobs.

Why are you even competing against the small guy?

[Firepool]

I have worn both shoes, the large contractor with all the overheads doing multi million rand contracts and as the small contractor with minimal overheads. If you are large company with all the red tape in place you shouldn't be scavenging the small guy jobs.

I had the same problem with one of my larger contracts, I would tackle all the smaller projects and was happy to do all the little crappy jobs nobody else wanted when there were big projects, but as the contract draw to an end or the budget was depleted, then suddenly all the big contractors would try take my little bread and butter jobs.

Why are you even competing against the small guy?

You can exactly regulate who competes for what works as that would go against competition law.The point is that there are not enough big contracts out there for big guys so they need to do small projects as well as nobody can afford to have guys standing around. Where do medium-sized enterprises fit in then as they expected to deal with red tape but are too small for big jobs and get undercut by small guys? And we wonder why the industry has a low standard of work when it comes down to employing the cheapest available quote. It is all economics and face the facts that sa economy has weakened over the last 10 years.

[Dylboy]

New issue I am hearing is that no one is employing anymore. Rather get a guy for a few days and that's that.

It's often how people start out to get a base but now even established companies no longer take employees rather get day hands or the odd electrician they trust to subby a bit.

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[Firepool]

New issue I am hearing is that no one is employing anymore. Rather get a guy for a few days and that's that.

It's often how people start out to get a base but now even established companies no longer take employees rather get day hands or the odd electrician they trust to subby a bit.

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Symptom of the red tape.If labour laws are inflexible you don't employ and find ways around it.You are in business to make money and not employ people.On top of the red tape is the bad economy.I mean in the cape we plodding on but how do people in Durban even get work done with what they been through in last year.

[Dylboy]

100% agree. I only use day staff and if it's a long project then great for them haha. I do also pay a bit more per day than what I would a salaried person and they very happy with that.

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[Dylboy]

Now reading about this NBCEI and that has been quite something trying to wrap my head around so I really feel I will only ever do day work and not employ.

Going to speak to a lawyer as I belueve if someone works X amount of days they need to have PAYE and all sorts paid so need to figure that one out

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[Firepool]

Now reading about this NBCEI and that has been quite something trying to wrap my head around so I really feel I will only ever do day work and not employ.

Going to speak to a lawyer as I belueve if someone works X amount of days they need to have PAYE and all sorts paid so need to figure that one out

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Dont forget workers compensation ,UIF and SDL Levy.Certain big projects want a safety file that will show your letter of good standing for workers compensation.If you employ more than 1 electrician you will need to join bargaining council.

Dont forget if your turnover exceeds a certain amount must register for Vat

Point is ,to me stay small and don't employ.It is crazy as we have a huge unemployment problem in country with no skills transfer.

[Dylboy]

Yeah you see never going to employ as all those abbreviations mean I need to hire someone who understands those too....

Yes ya the VAT thing real, will sooner open another company to stay under that level...

But thanks for the heads up on all that other stuff.

Look I know of the basics from the family business but now it's trade side so there seems to be more hahah.

All just a headache for what.

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[Dave A]

With all this talk of "day workers" to get around NBCEI, PAYE, UIF etc. - what do you do if that day worker gets injured?

[Dylboy]

It has crossed my mind that too and I am yet to have an answer.

Hopefully have a meeting with a lawyer soon and he said he can help with all this and then I can understand.

All I can think of now so to have insurance of sorts to have that in...

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[Dylboy]

But if I have to employ someone to have that then I will be a one man band and tell the people to start their own company and invoice me and they can be a subbie...

Look once everything is going and there is cash flow to speak of then sure maybe I will consider employing but 2 months no work and overheads will kill a company quickly

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